Debt Repaid
by Ms. Zeal
Summary: COMPLETE! A new Spirit Detective who mistrusts demons. A demon hunter in the city who has already struck three times. Kurama should have known he was overdue for some cosmic misfortune. Dedicated to all who have asked Kazuya learn his step-son's true identity.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

The crescent moon shone down on the city streets, the crowds growing thinner as evening turned to night. A group of five teens joked loudly as they made their way down the darkened back alleys, confident nothing hiding in the shadows could threaten them.

"They were pathetic," one of the teens boasted, waving his hand dismissively. "Hardly any fight in them at all."

"You say that about everyone, Yoshida," another one said, swiping through the pages on an ipad. He snorted in disgust, turning the device off. "Can you believe this, Takamoto? More apps than I can count and not a single game I like on the whole thing! I'm wiping this as soon as I get home," he said, slipping it into his backpack.

"What did you expect? Preppy students like that have absolutely no taste in games!" Takamoto said, laughing.

"These guys were loaded," the fourth added, thumbing through a stack of yen. He nodded to the shortest member of the group. "The boss sure knows how to pick 'em. I don't know why we didn't start working this turf ages ago!"

"You're right, Niwa!" the second agreed, clapping their boss on the back. "With Matsuda in charge, soon this whole city will be ours!"

"Five pubescent teens plan to take over the city?" a low voice asked from behind. "How utterly terrifying."

The group stopped, spinning around to face the newcomer standing at the head of the alley behind them. The person was standing in the shadows, silhouetted against the light of the street. He was tall with a slight build and long hair, although his voice was definitely masculine.

"Who are you?"

The newcomer ignored the question. "I have no qualms with you gentleman," he stated. "Only with your leader."

"And if the boss don't wanna talk to you?" Yoshida asked.

"I'm afraid I'll have to insist." The teens fell into defensive positions, two pulling out switch blade knives as the stranger stalked towards them.

"I admire your courage," Matsuda spoke up, standing safely behind his four lackeys. "But you've completely wasted the element of surprise. Do you honestly believe you can take on the five of us by yourself?"

"Yes." There was no hesitation as the man leapt forward, a fist to the temple and a knee to the gut bringing down the first two teens before anyone could blink. Yoshida and Niwa both slashed at him with the knives, but he flipped up and over their heads, landing behind them. An elbow to the back of the head brought down Niwa and a powerful kick sent Yoshida into the unyielding brick wall. He crumpled to the ground as the man turned to the leader, seeing him fleeing down the alley.

Matsuda skid around the corner, running for the abandoned warehouse they had been heading to earlier. He reached the door, slamming it behind him and taking a few seconds to catch his breath. Several of the boards had fallen off the upper windows, letting in a few shafts of light from the crescent moon although the majority of the room was still hidden in darkness. Matsuda closed his eyes, visualizing the locations of the various empty crates, pallets, tables and other miscellaneous junk left behind before quietly making his way across the room.

He hadn't quite made it halfway when he heard the door he'd come through open and close behind him. He froze in place, holding completely still and listening. He'd let his pursuer stumble around in the dark until he got close enough and then... The thought trailed off into a vicious grin as he tightened his grip on the broken 2x4 he'd picked up off the ground.

The attack came from behind, silent and precise, and Matsuda was out before he even hit the floor.

It was a moment or two before a small grey imp crawled out of the unconscious teen's mouth, muttering to itself as it took to the air. It screeched as a small wooden dart pierced its leg, pinning it to a crate.

"I warned you," the man stated, his voice low. "This is _my_ territory. You have to play by _my_ rules."

"You can't do this!" the imp shrieked, pulling vainly at the dart. "Humans can't see me! You're cheating!"

"Ordinary humans cannot see you," the man corrected. The imp screeched again as the back end of the dart exploded with growth, forming a cage around him. "But as you can see, I'm far from ordinary."

Just then the door was kicked down, revealing a young man in his early twenties standing behind it. He was about average height with short curly brown hair and dark eyes that darted across the room. "I know you're here, you little creep!" he yelled, holding up his right hand in the shape of a gun as his index finger started glowing. "Why don't you come out and face me?!"

"I see you never miss an opportunity to kick down a door, Taro," the man said, stepping into the light of the rei gun. He was dressed casually in a t-shirt, denim jeans and comfortable running shoes. Tossing his long red hair behind one shoulder, he gave Taro an appraising glance with guarded emerald eyes. "It wasn't even locked, you know," he continued, both face and voice carefully devoid of any emotion.

"Kurama?" Taro asked, surprise flashing across his features. It was quickly replaced with irritation. "What are _you_ doing here?" he demanded.

"Your job, apparently," Kurama stated, revealing the struggling imp still pinned to the crate. "Detective."

"Now, that's not fair, Kurama," a woman said, peeking her head around Taro. She had light blue hair pulled up into a high ponytail and was dressed in a pink kimono. "We only just got the lead on where Jiaki was hiding!" She paused, thinking. "How did you get here so fast, anyway?"

"My information network seems to be better than Koenma's," Kurama stated matter-of-fact. "Especially in this city."

"Or, perhaps you had some 'inside information?'" Taro asked suspiciously.

"Knock it off, Taro," Botan said.

"He's a demon," Taro hissed.

Botan closed her eyes, exhaling sharply through her nose. She seemed to be trying very hard to hold her tongue. "We've done about all we can do here," she said at last. "Taro, why don't you head on home and I'll take this little guy back to Reikai." She stepped past Taro, moving towards Kurama.

"Think about it, Botan," Taro insisted, his rei gun still trained on the redhead. "We've been trying to find this thing for two weeks. Now, when we finally get a lead, this pretty-boy demon somehow magically appears and apprehends the culprit before we even get here?" His eyes flicked to hers. "Surely that must sound suspicious, even to you."

Botan stopped. "Kurama didn't have anything to do with this," she stated firmly, folding her arms and turning so she was standing between the spirit detective and the demon. "And I'm not going to let you harass him just because you don't like him!"

"Oh, come on! Don't tell me you actually _believe_ his story about having a 'better information network' than the Reikai?!"

"Actually, I do," Botan informed him primly. "Especially considering this is where his m-" She stopped abruptly, remembering Taro didn't know about Kurama's human family. She cleared her throat. "Anyway, how exactly Kurama found Jiaki aside, Koenma-sama gave you orders to leave Kurama alone," she reminded Taro. "And, Koenma-sama doesn't take disobedience lightly."

Taro's lip curled as he finally lowered his rei gun, allowing the blue glow to fade to nothing. "Fine. I work the early shift tomorrow and I've wasted enough time on this wild goose chase, anyway," he said, turning and leaving without a backward glance.

Botan shook her head, turning back to Kurama. "I'm sorry about that," she apologized. "I keep telling him that you're alright, but..."

"I doubt you'll be able to change his mind. He's young and inexperienced. That in and of itself may be a problem in the coming days," Kurama stated. "This isn't an ideal time to be training a new Spirit Detective, but I suppose there's no help for that. I don't know what Koenma told him, but Taro needs to learn that he's not the strongest one around. Not even close."

"I know," Botan sighed. "Without the new ruler of Makai's support for keeping the more dangerous demons out of Ningenkai, we had to put the Kekkai barrier back up. The last couple months have been pretty quiet, so he hasn't had any good cases to really cut his teeth on. Unfortunately, I doubt it'll be long before some of the stronger demons manage to find ways through. I just hope he'll be ready when the time comes."

"With any luck, Taro will have found some allies by then. Else, I fear you'll be training yet another spirit detective all too soon."

Botan nodded soberly. "If only he wasn't so stubborn about it! Usui didn't like demons either, but at least he was mature enough to act professional!"

Kurama refrained from commenting. The way he saw it, the only difference between them was one plotted his demise openly while the other did so in secret. A paranoid point of view, he knew, but one that had saved his life on more than one occasion. Instead, he shrank the wooden cage and dart back to a seed, catching the imp before it could escape. "Your prisoner," he said, handing the small demon to Botan.

"Thank you. You know, this little guy was the first demon Yuusuke ever caught."

Kurama raised an eyebrow. "I was under the impression that Gouki was the first."

"Well, Gouki was the first of Yuusuke's _official_ cases," Botan amended. "He didn't hang around long enough for me to give him the details about Jiaki. Come to think of it, Koenma didn't actually appoint him as Spirit Detective until _after_ Yuusuke had already caught this guy- completely by accident of course." She laughed fondly at the memory. "I can't believe it's already been twenty years," she said, shaking her head.

"Time has a way of slipping by unnoticed," Kurama stated sagely. "And, speaking of time, the hour is late and I should be heading home," he said, turning to go. "Good night, Botan."

"Kurama, wait!" Botan said, grabbing his arm. "There's been some suspicious activity recently that I think you should know about."

Kurama raised an eyebrow, waiting.

"It's...well...something has been going around killing the demons still in the city," she said hesitantly.

"I was aware," Kurama stated. "I thought Taro might have had a hand in the killings. I assume that is not the case?"

Botan shook her head. "He doesn't like demons, but he can't just go around killing them arbitrarily and he knows it. These are demons that have been living peacefully with humans for years, like you. They've never done anything the least bit threatening and a few have even gone out of their way to protect the humans around them at times. And we have absolutely _no_ leads." She squeezed his arm. "Please be careful. They might try going after you next."

Kurama nodded, acknowledging the warning before exiting the warehouse and heading home.

It was really late by the time he made it back to the house, quietly unlocking the door and stepping inside. His eyes narrowed when he saw light from the kitchen spilling out into the hallway. He scented the air, searching for anything unfamiliar while extending his senses to all the plants located at the doors and windows around the house. None of his plants had been disturbed, nor could he smell any unknown persons inside. He slipped off his shoes, leaving them in the genkan and quietly moving toward the kitchen. He cautiously peered in the doorway, sighing softly as the tension drained from him.

An older man was sitting at the small table in the kitchen, finishing off a plate of leftovers. His short, graying hair was a bit mussed from sleep and he had a dark blue robe pulled over his pajamas. He jumped as Kurama stepped into the room, a bit startled by his sudden appearance. "Oh, Shuichi! I didn't hear you come down."

"I was trying not to wake anyone, father," Kurama stated apologetically.

"Well, I wouldn't worry about that. Shiori's always been a rather heavy sleeper," Kazuya stated. He paused, noticing his step-son's clothing. "Are you going out at this hour?"

Kurama shook his head. "I just got back, actually. I had a really late delivery."

Kazuya blinked, glancing at the clock. "It's almost one in the morning!"

Kurama shrugged. "She works night shift," he lied easily. "The client wanted it delivered during her lunch break."

"You know the other shops in town only deliver from eight to five," Kazuya pointed out.

"More business for me," Kurama replied, smiling. "Besides, I charge extra for the odd hours."

Kazuya returned the smile, shaking his head. "Just don't overdo it," he said, carrying his plate over to the sink. "Staying out all night long wasn't a big deal when you were in your twenties, but it won't be too long before you just can't do things like that anymore."

"And yet here you are," Kurama countered. "I believe you have to be to work in, what, six hours?"

"Ugh, don't remind me," Kazuya groaned.

"Trouble sleeping?" Kurama guessed.

Kazuya was silent for a moment before nodding. "I realized today that I forgot our anniversary last week," he said. "Shiori didn't say anything because I wasn't feeling well. The next few days it was obvious I had forgotten and...well, you know how she is. We usually just go out for dinner, but..." He shook his head. "I want to get her a present to make up for it, but she's a hard woman to buy for. Lately she's been hinting that she wants to take another trip somewhere, which wouldn't normally be a problem except o-bon is next week. And, I'd like to get her something a bit more tangible to apologize."

Kurama blinked in surprise. He had also forgotten about their anniversary and the up-coming holiday. While the former wasn't really a big issue (for him), the latter could put a bit of a kink in his plans. He needed to find out more about the demon killings and soon. "What about jewelry?" he suggested.

"I'd considered a ring, but Shiori only really wears her wedding band," Kazuya stated.

"I was actually thinking of a necklace, and maybe a pair of earrings to match," Kurama said. "A flower or heart, something along those lines."

Kazuya considered a moment before nodding slowly. "Yes, I think that could work. She wears necklaces fairly often. There's even a jewelry shop near my work." He thought about it a moment more before nodding again, this time more decisively. "I can stop by today, after I get off."

Kurama smiled. "Well, I'm heading to bed," he said, moving back out into the hall.

"Sounds like an excellent idea," Kazuya agreed, turning off the light and following the redhead up the stairs.

 **. . .**

 **To Be Continued**

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	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The day wasn't terribly hot, but the overcast sky filled with light gray clouds promised nothing but high humidity. Kurama sat on a bus, leaning his head against the back of the seat as he watched the city buildings slip past his window. He was dressed in a button down shirt and slacks, and his hair was pulled back in a high ponytail although a few tendrils had come loose and were sticking to the back of his neck. He was holding a vase with a carefully arranged bouquet of flowers on his lap as he absently fanned himself with a pocket notebook. He glanced up at the signs as the bus pulled over, checking it against an address in his notebook before standing and getting off.

It took him another ten minutes to walk to his destination and he briefly closed his eyes as he stepped inside, enjoying the cold air that washed over him. He walked up to the secretary's desk, a pleasant smile on his face as he waited for her to finish her call.

She looked young, hardly old enough to have a front desk position, although her movements and confidence as she spoke belied her experience. "I'm sorry, Mr. Tsukimoto is in a meeting," she was saying over the phone, not even pausing as she typed on the computer. "No, you can either leave a message or call back in an hour or two... Yes... All right, I will let him know... Thank you. Good bye." She hung up the phone and wrote down a quick note on the pad next to her keyboard before turning her attention to Kurama. "May I help you?" she asked, glancing at the flowers in his hand.

"My name is Minamino Shuichi," Kurama said. "I'm here to see Ishikawa Hitomi, if she's not busy."

The secretary turned back to her computer, tapping away on the keyboard. "She doesn't have any current appointments," she said after a moment. "Let me check and make sure she's in her office."

Kurama waited as she called and verified he could go in, following the directions to Ishikawa's office. He knocked on the door, entering when he was called in.

Ishikawa was sitting behind a large mahogany desk, the papers and folders on it neatly stacked and organized. She held up one finger as he entered, signaling him to wait while she finished writing a note in her planner. She was a slender woman, dressed in an expensive business suit that accentuated her slight frame. Her dark hair was pulled back in a bun and she absently brushed a loose tendril behind one ear. She set the pen down and closed the planner, manicured nails adjusting the glasses perched on her nose as her light blue eyes met his questioningly.

Kurama stepped up to the desk at this silent cue. "Giving flowers can mean many things to different people. Most people simply throw the flowers together because they are pretty. However, each blossom has its own meaning and every bouquet tells a story," Kurama explained. "These flowers were picked just for you. This one is where the story starts," he said, lightly touching the purple hyacinth. "It means _I'm sorry_. This particular blossom says, _I'm sorry for hurting you. I didn't mean what I said. I was stressed because I lost my job and I took it out on you. I'm sorry,_ " he recited. "Next is the bluebell, which represents gratitude. _I'm grateful that you've stayed beside me through the last several months. I know it hasn't been easy._ "

Ishikawa watched Kurama curiously as he moved to the next flower, a soft smile playing about her lips. She had received flowers before but never like this.

"At the center is a single rose in full bloom. This one says so much with so few words. _I love you_."

"What about that one?" she asked, pointing to the last flower. "What does that one mean?"

"This," Kurama said, his fingertips lightly brushing over the white carnation, "is both a hope and a promise. I think I will let Mr. Hokama Kenji explain that one. He requests the honor of your company for dinner. If you are agreeable, he will pick you up at 6:00 tonight," he said, setting the vase on her desk. "If not, he asks that you please contact him to schedule for another time."

Ishikawa pulled the flowers closer, unable to help the smile on her face. "Kenji really is a hopeless romantic," she chuckled.

Kurama pulled the small notebook out of his pocket, flipping to the correct receipt. "I need you to sign and date it at the bottom, stating these flowers were delivered," he said, handing her the notebook.

She signed it and handed it back. "Thank you, Mr. Minamino," she said, still beaming.

"It was my pleasure, Ms. Ishikawa," Kurama replied, bowing. "Have a lovely day and I hope you enjoy dinner tonight." He left her to enjoy the flowers, leaving the building and heading back out into the humid afternoon.

Kurama checked his watch, closing his eyes briefly as he realized he wouldn't make it back to the station in time to catch the train he needed for his next appointment. Sighing, he stepped to the curb and hailed a taxi, resigning himself to an uncomfortable trip across town.

The cab pulled over to the curb and Kurama climbed in, wrinkling his nose slightly at the lingering scent of cigarette smoke and perfume. While most forms of public transportation were unpleasant to some extent, buses and trains were more open and didn't hold onto odors as tenaciously as the closed interior of taxi cabs. He gave the address to the driver after consulting his notebook once more and turned his head to watch the scenery passing outside the window. It was times like these that he wished his sense of smell wasn't quite so sensitive.

It took about half an hour to reach his destination and Kurama quickly paid his fare and exited the cab. He glanced up at the tall building in front of him, the glass windows of fifty-some-odd floors reflecting the city around them. It was a luxury hotel, an upscale establishment that charged more per night than some people paid in rent per month. However what the general public didn't know was that it was just a front operated by a yakuza boss to maintain appearances.

Kurama entered the lobby, glancing around the room. Two men in identical uniforms were standing at the ready while a third loaded a guest's luggage onto a cart before leading them to their room. Four of the five receptionists were busy with customers, so Kurama approached the one who was free. The desk clerk had short hair, dark in color although a bit of gray was starting to set in. She was dressed in white blouse with a black skirt and wore a nametag that read 'Eri.' She looked up as he stopped in front of the desk, giving him a polite smile. "Good afternoon, sir," she greeted, "do you have a reservation with us?"

Kurama returned the smile. "No. My name is Minamino Shuichi. Mr. Yutaro asked me to come look at some vines that he purchased from me a few months back," he explained.

Eri frowned slightly, absently biting her lip as she checked something on the computer. "Um, wait here a moment," she said, walking toward the door in the corner. She knocked on it briefly before opening it and stepping inside. It wasn't long before she reappeared, an older gentleman wearing a dark suit accompanying her. He was a bit heavy-set and had a circle beard although his head was shaved. Dark eyes peered out from behind small spectacles, looking over Kurama curiously. Eri returned to her desk as the man approached the redhead.

"Hello Mr. Minamino. I'm Miyaji Goro, the manager of this fine establishment. I understand you are here about the plants?" he asked, shaking Kurama's hand.

"That is correct."

"Right this way, please," Miyaji said, leading Kurama to one of the elevators. He swiped a keycard to open the doors, gesturing for the redhead to step inside before following.

They rode up to the fifty-sixth floor, Miyaji making small talk along the way. The elevator dinged as they reached their destination and the doors opened, revealing a tall man waiting for them. He had light brown hair, cropped close to his scalp and a scar across his upper lip gave him a perpetual sneer. He was also wearing a dark suit and seemed to nod to himself as he studied the redhead.

"I assume you know Mr. Yutaro?" the manager asked, gesturing to the man.

"We've met," Kurama agreed, inclining his head slightly to the taller man.

"Thank you, Mr. Miyaji. I'll take it from here," Yutaro said.

Miyaji nodded, pushing the button to the bottom floor as Kurama stepped out of the elevator. The redhead noted the two security guards on either side of the elevator door, idly running through scenarios in his mind of the best way to neutralize them without raising an alarm. He shook his head, smiling. Old habits died hard, it seemed. There wasn't even anything here Kurama would consider worth stealing.

"Pleasure to see you again, Mr. Minamino. This way, please," Yutaro said, leading Kurama down the hallway.

"On the phone you said there was a problem with the vines you purchased from me," Kurama stated. "Could you elaborate?"

"I am not a gardener, Mr. Minamino," Yutaro replied. "I couldn't tell you what was wrong with common household plants, much less something as exotic as your vines. I think it would be better if you examined them yourself."

Kurama nodded, conceding the point. They used another elevator to reach the penthouse on the top of the building. The doors opened and Kurama's eyes were immediately drawn to the potted plants on either side of the doorway. They were hung up near the ceiling, numerous vines spilling out over the sides of the pots and almost long enough to brush the floor. The dark green leaves grew in small clusters all along the vine, making it look more like a fluffy boa than a plant.

Kurama's eyes widened slightly as he stepped forward, gently lifting one of the vines in his hand. "What have you done to it?" he asked, checking the undersides of the leaves. "These leaves are supposed to be red, not green."

"That is precisely why we have asked you here," Yutaro replied. "Our gardener has recently retired and the new one isn't familiar with how to care for these."

Kurama could read between the lines well enough to understand that the previous gardener's retirement was permanent and likely unwilling. "I suppose he misplaced the manual I left detailing their care?"

"It would seem so."

Kurama sighed. "Very well, I'll send you another one. It might behoove you to read it yourself, so as to ascertain whether the vines are getting the proper care or not before they reach this point in the future."

"Can these plants be salvaged?" Yutaro asked.

"Yes, I believe so. There's still a bit of red along the veins, so it's not yet completely vegetarian."

"How long before they are back in working condition?"

Kurama shrugged, letting the vine fall back. "Probably two weeks, at least. Carnivorous plants cannot exist on water and artificial sunlight alone. Start with some chicken or pork, organic preferably, cut into small pieces. Make sure it's raw and heated to at least 90 degrees."

Yutaro had pulled a pad of paper out of his pocket and was writing down the instructions. "How much meat per day?" he asked.

"Start with a quarter pound and increase that by another quarter each day until you reach five pounds. Feed them every day until their leaves are completely red again, front and back. Then, cut back to two pounds every other day. That will keep them healthy, but hungry enough to devour anyone who comes in without a talisman." Kurama reached up and unhooked the pot, bringing it down and brushing the vines aside to check the dirt. "The soil will need to be replaced as well."

"Any brand in particular?" Yutaro asked.

Kurama shook his head. "You can't get it here. I'll have to import it."

Yutaro nodded, finishing his notes. "Is that all?"

"For these. I'd like to check the others as well," he said.

Yutaro nodded, replacing the pad in his pocket. "This way," he said, walking down the hall.

Kurama followed him through the penthouse, stopping and examining the plants at every exterior door and window along the way. None of the plants with access to direct sunlight had deteriorated as quickly as the ones next to the elevator, many of them still sporting red patches on their leaves. "Well, I do believe you managed to catch this in time," he said as he finished checking the last one. "With the proper care, none of these should need to be replaced." He brushed his hands off, turning back to his escort. "The instructions I gave you should be enough to get you started. I'll order the potting soil today and reassess the plants' condition once it comes in."

Yutaro nodded, leading the way back to the elevator. "And the manual?" he asked, stepping onto the lift.

"In your inbox by tonight, assuming you haven't changed your email address," Kurama replied. "I assume a virtual copy in your possession won't be misplaced so easily, although I can bring you a hard copy if you'd rather."

"An email will be fine."

The doors opened and Yutaro stepped out, leading Kurama to the elevator that would take him back to the lobby. "Mr. Sato will see you out," he said, nodding to the security guard who stepped forward. "Thank you for your services."

"Give my regards to the owner," Kurama said as he walked into the elevator, Sato right behind him. "And don't thank me until after you've received my bill."

Yutaro smiled but didn't reply as the doors closed between them.

The elevator dinged as it reached the ground floor and Kurama nodded to the security guard as he stepped off the lift and back out into the lobby. Pulling his phone from his pocket, the redhead moved over to the empty waiting area as he scrolled through his list of contacts. He forewent the plush leather seats, opting instead to lean against the wall as he dialed the number and listened to it ring.

It didn't take long before someone picked up. "It's me," he said by way of greeting. "I have another order for you. Six bags of soil... No, no specific region, though if you know of anywhere that blood has been spilt recently... It doesn't matter what kind... Really?... No, that will do nicely. How long?... Alright. Contact me when you're in town... Mm-hm... Bye."

Kurama hung up the phone and headed back to the front desk. Eri was busy with a client so he moved over to another free clerk, an older woman with her graying hair pulled back in a tight bun. She looked up at him over the top of her half-moon spectacles, giving him a tight smile. "Hello, sir. Do you have a reservation with us?" she asked.

Kurama shook his head. "My name is Shuichi Minamino. I would like to leave a message for Mr. Yutaro," he stated.

"Alright," she said, grabbing a pad of paper sitting by the phone and writing his name at the top. "What do you want me to tell him?"

"Please inform him that the shipment should be in the day after tomorrow."

The clerk scribbled out the note, pausing slightly to see if there was more. When Kurama didn't continue, she pulled off the top page. "I will let him know."

Kurama thanked her and turned back toward the entrance, checking his watch as he exited the hotel. Not wanting to wait around thirty-five to forty minutes in the heat for the next bus, he decided to start walking to the train station instead. He figured it would probably take him fifteen to twenty minutes to get there and if he was lucky he would be able to catch the train before it left. Plus, the station had vending machines with cold drinks.

The city air was stagnant, the only breeze coming from cars driving past. Kurama ignored the feel of sweat trickling slowly down his back, making his clothes stick to his body as he walked. He tried to distract himself from the discomfort by mentally cursing the non-functional state of his car- currently in the shop having the transmission rebuilt. It was supposed to be done in only four more days, but Saturday couldn't come soon enough. He briefly wondered why it was the car only seemed to break down when it was either too hot or too cold to travel comfortably by foot.

Kurama was only a block or two from the station when he stopped short, the breath of cool air from the alley next to him just as startling as the metallic scent of blood it carried. A quick glance showed the alley didn't go straight through to the next street, although Kurama couldn't tell if it was a dead-end or not from where he was. He casually turned and headed down the alley, all his senses focused intently on his surroundings.

He walked between the trash bins, bits of shattered glass crunching softly beneath his feet as the scent of blood grew stronger. The alley was intersected by another one near its end, turning sharply to the right. Kurama raised an eyebrow at the partially melted sheet of ice covering the ground, originating from the perpendicular alley. He turned the corner only to be met with a chain link fence, also encased in ice. It didn't take him long to scale the fence, although the melting ice made it slippery, and he saw the source of the blood thirty to forty feet further down the path.

The alleyway looked like it had been taken straight from cold a day in January. Solid ice covered the ground and both walls clear up to the third floor of the buildings, long icicles hanging from the fire escapes and drainage pipes. Piles of slush were gathered in the nooks along the wall and trash bins, the humidity in the air having turned to snow when the temperature dropped below freezing, only to start melting as it gradually began to return to normal. Off to one side was a thick spear of ice coming right up from the ground, impaling a young woman with light blue hair and pinning her to the wall behind her. The spear went straight through her chest and her blood had run down it in thick streams, mixing with the melting ice pooling at her feet.

Kurama carefully made his way over to her, the water making the ice rather slippery. He brushed the blue hair away from her face, recognizing her as an ice cream vendor that would frequent the parks during the summer months. She was an ice apparition, which meant the killer that had been taking out demons had struck again.

Kurama took another look around, carefully examining everything as he tried to piece together what had happened. The ice encasing the entire area was sloppy, an incredible waste of power in a life or death situation. She must have been terrified, her powers responding to her emotions rather than her conscious thoughts. The first thing any type of combat training covered was learning to control one's power, to prevent such waste. Therefore, she was a non-combatant. The ice spear was a fairly basic technique, further proving that theory.

The only problem was Kurama could sense no youki in the area but hers. There was no doubt that the ice she was impaled on was of her own making. This was a painful and possibly even slow way to die, depending on what organs were hit and how badly they were damaged. There were much easier ways to go about committing suicide and, although demons had been much more prevalent in Japanese society since the end of the first Makai tournament, they generally did go out of their way to remain as inconspicuous as possible in day-to-day life, although all bets were off around the holidays. The majority of the nation thought the ears and tails were simply a trend the younger generation was indulging in, albeit one that had been going on for years. Kurama really had to admire the ningen ability to rationalize such things, willingly living in ignorance rather than facing an uncomfortable truth. Sometimes he was amazed their race had survived as long as it had.

Still, the facts didn't add up. She had been dead for some time and the ice covering the alley was still at least an inch thick, even with the temperature in the eighties. If it _was_ suicide, why the emotional outburst? Fear of killing herself perhaps, but if so she would not have been able to control her powers well enough to commit the final act. Create a spear and fall on it, yes, but to actually drive it through her _own_ chest and into the wall behind her? Not a chance.

Suicide also wouldn't explain the bruises on her arms or the one on her cheek. Judging by the size they had to have been made by something long and thin, like a stick or pipe. And the placement along her arms indicated she had been struck by someone else, probably while using her arms to shield her head. There was no way she could have done that to herself. But, then who did this to her? Why was there no second body to be found?

Kurama was missing something, but he didn't know what. He shifted to his fox form, hoping his heightened senses would provide more insight. The melting ice had already washed away the most useful information, so Kurama headed to the opposite end of the alley. Assuming she hadn't scaled the fence as he had, then that was the way she had come in. Her scent was easy enough to find once he was off the ice. She had been frightened, fleeing for her life. And the predator... Kurama blinked. A ningen? Yes, the scent was definitely human, and male at that.

Demons killing demons was one thing. Someone trying to take over his territory, for example, may have been killing demons while looking for information about Kurama himself, or as a way to draw him out. _Humans_ killing demons, on the other hand, was a much more serious matter. That generally fell under either 'sport' or 'extermination,' neither being easily dealt with considering Reikai law still banned him from killing humans. Technically, he could if there was no other way to resolve the conflict and the current spirit detective vouched for the necessity of his actions. Otherwise, Kurama was considered to be strong enough to deal with the situation without the use of lethal force. A restriction that could prove very dangerous indeed, depending on what type of powers the ningen had developed.

He sat back, considering the scenario. A ningen male chased a female demon to a dead-end alley. He was likely too close behind her to allow her time to get over the fence, forcing a confrontation when he attacked her with a blunt weapon. He turned, staring back at the dead demon. So, how did she end up impaled on her own ice? She couldn't give him any answers, but her pursuer could.

Kurama turned his attention to the ningen's scent, following it out of the alley. Most animal-type demons tended to stay in their humanoid forms in the heart of the city, but it wasn't unheard of for raccoons, foxes, badgers and other types of small animals to be seen around town from time to time. The most reaction Kurama himself had gotten was a few surprised stares and muttered comments about 'mutations' due to his multiple tails. But, as long as he was completely non-aggressive and acted somewhat skittish (didn't let anyone close enough to touch him), people were generally content to leave him alone. It probably helped that he didn't loiter in any one place long enough for Animal Control to arrive.

The streets were fairly empty, most people avoiding walking around in the heat. The few people out and about gave him a curious glance, but nothing more than that. Kurama ignored them altogether, alternating panting to cool down and sniffing the ground every twenty or so feet to make sure he was still following the trail.

It ended at a bus stop a couple of blocks away and Kurama huffed out a breath in irritation. The ningen could have gone anywhere in the city from here. The fox turned and headed back the way he had come. As he had told Botan, he had known about the deaths, but this was the first one he'd actually seen. Was Taro investigating it? Botan hadn't said one way or the other, but someone targeting demons fell under the Spirit Detective's jurisdiction. If so, did he know or suspect that a ningen was behind it? That could explain the lack of action taken to apprehend the killer. Or, did Taro simply not have any leads? Botan said that Reikai didn't have any information and the newest spirit detective was still rather wet behind the ears when it came to dealing with the supernatural.

Kurama paused as he reached another alley. It had plenty of places for him to hide long enough to change back to his human form. He hesitated, considering. By now, he had missed the train and would have to backtrack to get to the station. The bus stop he'd just left was going in the wrong direction and it wasn't worth heading back to the one he'd gotten off of originally. His house was too far a distance away to comfortably walk to...as a human. Walking around in this heat as a fox was unpleasant. Walking around in this heat as a human was downright miserable.

Tongue lolling in a canine grin, Kurama continued heading down the street. It'd been a long time since he'd gone out on the town in his fox form and it was good to stretch his legs every now and then.

 **. . .**

 **To Be Continued**

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	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The ceiling fan whirled softly, sending an air-conditioned draft towards the table below. Two older women were kneeling at the table, one serving tea for her guest. She had long hair pulled back in a loose bun, the dark brown strands of her youth losing in number to the gray strands that came with age. She was dressed in a pale purple blouse and comfortable dark blue pants. She finished pouring the tea and offered a cup to her guest.

The woman took the cup, supporting the bottom with her left hand and cupping it with her right. She wore a light yellow summer dress with a floral print and small flowers embroidered along the neckline and sleeves. Her hair was curly and cut short, with only a few hints of light brown amid the white. She raised the cup to her lips, sipping the hot tea. "This tea is amazing, Shiori," she complimented with a warm smile. "You must tell me what it is called and where you get it."

Shiori returned the smile, also taking a drink. "I'm sorry, Akari, but my son makes it," she explained. "He likes to experiment with different plants, creating his own teas. And he rather seems to have a knack for it, I must say. This particular blend is my favorite."

Akari looked impressed. "Shuichi made this?" she asked. "I daresay he's working in the wrong field. He should close his floral business and open a tea shop- I guarantee he'll never be short of customers!"

"True," Shiori agreed. "But he really enjoys what he does now. This is more of a hobby, at best."

"That's a shame. It's important to enjoy your work, but to let such talent go to waste..." She took another drink of her tea, closing her eyes as she sighed. "Perhaps just a small business on the side?" she suggested. "I know _I'd_ certainly buy from him."

Shiori laughed. "I'll ask," she promised. "Though, I'm not sure he has the spare time to devote to it. He grows all the plants himself."

"Yes, I can see the care and attention he gives your yard," Akari said, looking through the glass sliding doors to the backyard. A small sakura tree stood off to one side, a line of purple and pink flowers forming a border around the well at its base. A stone path led back to a small gazebo in the corner, large leafy vines climbing up the posts and interwoven across the top to form a shady canopy for the bench below. A small pond was just in front of that, tall grasses and cattails growing on one side while leaving the other clear to view the koi within. Akari smiled, shaking her head. "Even though I know it's a hot day today, your garden looks deceptively cool and inviting."

"Yes," Shiori agreed. "My Shuichi certainly does have a way with plants."

They sat in companionable silence for a moment, sipping their tea. "So, how is your husband doing these days?" Shiori asked.

"Very well," Akari said. "He's not done with physical therapy yet, but he can now make it across the room without his cane."

"That's wonderful news."

"Yes, although with how much he complains, you'd think he broke every bone in his body instead of just the one in his leg." Akari shook her head, smiling as she took another drink. "Getting old certainly isn't for the faint of heart. Still, Senri moving back in has really helped out a lot. I just wish it didn't take Kando breaking his leg to make it happen."

"Things have changed a lot since we were young," Shiori said, sadly. "And, not all of it for the better."

"Children were expected to take care of their aging parents _before_ an accident forced their hand," Akari agreed. "Still, you must have done something right in raising Shuichi."

Shiori smiled. "I'm very fortunate to have him as a son," she agreed.

Akari nodded. "Anyway, Kando is hopeful that he won't need the cane at all by the time o-bon starts," she continued. "A bit unrealistic if you ask me, but he's too stubborn to listen."

"O-bon?" Shiori repeated. "Oh, that's the end of next week, isn't it?" She shook her head. "I really need to start writing things down in a planner."

"That's what I used to do. Problem was I could never remember where I put it!" Akari said, laughing.

The clock in the hall chimed five times and Akari looked up in surprise. "My, where has the time gone? I really must be getting back. Senri will be bringing Kando home from the pool soon and I haven't even started on dinner!"

Both women rose, leaving the room only to run into Kurama in the hall. "Shuichi? When did you come in?" Shiori asked. "I didn't hear the door..." She trailed off, her gaze dropping to the shoes he was holding in his hands. She raised an eyebrow.

"Just a few moments ago. I didn't want to disturb you. Hello, Mrs. Tsukada. You're looking well today," Kurama greeted, bowing to the older woman.

"Oh hello Shuichi dear. Sorry to rush out, but I really must be going," Akari said, stepping into the genkan and slipping her shoes on. "Shiori, thank you for having me over. You must come and visit soon."

"I will," Shiori promised, moving to the door to see her off. "Goodbye Akari."

"Goodbye."

Shiori closed the door, turning back to her son. Kurama had put his shoes next to the others in the entrance foyer, pointing the toes toward the door so they'd be easier to slip on next time he went out. "So, I didn't hear you come in," Shiori repeated, her voice curious.

"I came in through the window in my room," he explained, heading toward the kitchen. "I didn't know you had company, or else I would have used the front door."

Shiori followed him. "The window? You were in your fox form, then?" she asked. "In this heat?"

"It's actually far more bearable than in my human form," he said, pulling a pitcher of juice from the fridge and pouring a glass for himself. "I suppose you could say it's more of a 'dry heat.' Animals don't sweat like humans do. Would you like some?" he asked, raising the pitcher slightly.

Shiori shook her head. "So, is there any particular reason you came home as a fox?" she asked, the corners of her lips turning up in a grin. "I assume you didn't deliver the flowers looking like that, though I'm sure most people would love to receive flowers from such an adorable fox," she teased.

Kurama returned her smile, although it was a bit more subdued. "No, I changed after my deliveries were finished," he assured her. He paused, taking a long drink. "There was another murder today. I found the body on my way home."

Shiori's face sobered instantly. "Another demon?" she asked. "Was it related to the others?"

"I believe so," he affirmed, staring thoughtfully at his cup. "I would have needed to examine the other crime scenes to provide proof, but there are a few elements that leave no doubt in my mind."

"So, naturally the first thing you do after finding out someone who's hunting demons is nearby, is change into an easily recognizable demon form and head home," Shiori stated, sighing. She moved over to him, laying her hand on his arm. "I wish you wouldn't use yourself as bait to draw these things out."

Kurama covered her hand with his own. "It wasn't purely to draw him out. I can track people better as a fox," he explained.

"Did you find him, then?" Shiori asked, her tone a bit anxious although she tried to hide it.

Kurama shook his head. "No, the trail ended at a bus station. But, I did discover something useful."

"What's that?"

"The murderer is human."

"Human?" Shiori asked. "A human hunting demons?"

"It is more common than you might think. The good news is human demon hunters generally tend to leave other humans alone," he stated, replacing the pitcher in the fridge.

Shiori nodded thoughtfully. "Shall I tell Kazuya I've changed my mind about wanting to 'get away for a while' then?"

Kurama paused, considering. "No," he said after a moment. "Stop dropping hints, but don't say you've changed your mind just yet. It may turn out that our serial killer is just as dangerous to humans as he is to demons." He rinsed his cup out, leaving it in the sink. "I need to find out more about him."

"Which means you're going to start actively looking for him, aren't you?" Shiori shook her head. "I know once you've made up your mind, there's no talking you out of it," she said, sighing. "Just be careful, alright?"

Kurama smiled, giving her a quick peck on the cheek. "I always am."

 **. . .**

The day dawned bright and cheery, with not a cloud in the sky. A number of mothers had taken advantage of the weather, taking their children to the local parks. Ice cream venders were out in force as the sun climbed in the sky, selling cold treats as the day grew steadily warmer. Kurama stood patiently in line at one such cart, purchasing two cones when it was his turn. Thanking the vendor, he glanced around briefly before making his way toward a dark haired woman sitting on a bench some twenty feet away. She wore a white blouse and a long pale yellow skirt that reached her ankles, the pink tip of a scaly tail just visible beneath the hem. Brown curly hair was cut short, allowing her pointed ears to show. Large dark sunglasses hid her eyes from view but her smile revealed teeth that were just a little too pointed to be human.

The woman stood as Kurama approached. "You certainly know how to spoil a girl," she said, accepting the strawberry cone. "You even got my favorite flavor."

"I'm glad you could make it Aki," Kurama said.

"I wasn't aware I had a choice," she replied lightly, following as he led her at a sedate pace along one of the stone paths.

Kurama smiled but didn't reply, licking his own cone before it started to melt.

They walked for a little bit, eating their ice cream as they gradually left the other patrons of the park behind. "So, what do you need this time?" Aki asked quietly, just in case there were people nearby she couldn't see.

"I need you to find someone for me," Kurama replied, his voice low. "The one responsible for the recent killings."

"Forget it," Aki said, taking a bite out of her cone. "We're not stupid enough to get mixed up in a territory battle."

"It's not over territory. The target is ningen."

"Another one?" Aki scowled, rubbing a hand across her eyes. "Didn't you just deal with a hunter like, I don't know, eight months ago?"

"Yes."

"That one was almost more hassle than it was worth, as I recall," she added.

"But it worked out in your favor, in the end," Kurama reminded her. "I'm not asking you to engage him in battle. I just need you to _find_ him for me. I will take care of the rest."

"Alright, fine," Aki agreed. She glanced sidelong at the redhead, smirking. "It's not like it's the _worst_ thing you've ever asked me to do."

"No," Kurama agreed. "And I appreciate your assistance with this matter."

"Yeah, yeah," she said, waving her hand negligently. "All I can say is the pay better be worth it."

"Have I ever disappointed you?"

"Nope and I'd like to keep it that way," she said, finishing her cone. "If that's all, then I need to go organize some search parties."

Kurama nodded, taking a bite out of his own cone as he watched her walk away. Aki had proven an invaluable asset to have on more than one occasion, although he held no illusions as to where her loyalties lie. If she thought he was on the losing side, she'd betray him in a heartbeat to save herself. Still, rats like her had their uses, as long as one knew how to employ them effectively.

 **. . .**

It was late afternoon when Kurama pulled up outside an abandoned warehouse. He parked the van he was driving, pulling the keys out of the ignition as he got out and looked around. A small green form detached itself from the roof of the van and followed him, keeping its distance but being sure to keep the redhead in sight at all times. It had a mop of stringy black hair and two small horns jutted up on each side of its forehead. It had beady red eyes with sharp teeth and claws on both its hands and feet. A ringed tail swung and curled lazily behind it as it hovered in the air. A strip of material tied at its waist, serving as a loincloth, was the only article of clothing the creature wore.

Kurama glanced briefly at the minion demon, wondering why Aki had bothered sending it. He had first seen it when he left the house that morning, surmising Aki had assigned one or two of the creatures to each demon living in the area when he'd hired her the day before. Minion demons weren't good for much, but scouting, reconnaissance and gathering information were some of their strengths. They were fast, unable to be seen by ningen without high levels of reiki, and had auras that were so pitifully weak it was almost impossible to sense them nearby. Kurama had never much liked dealing with the imps himself (in the old days, as a thief by trade, the feeling of constantly being watched set his fur on end and made him even more paranoid than usual), but he could still appreciate their usefulness. What he didn't understand was why Aki had assigned one to _him_. After all, if the demon hunter found Kurama, Aki's services would no longer be needed.

Ignoring the imp for now (as well as the itch between his shoulder blades that told him he was being followed), he headed into the warehouse. It wasn't much darker inside and didn't take his eyes long to adjust. He glanced around, frowning slightly when he didn't see anyone in the immediate vicinity. However, before he could call out, his ears picked up the scrabble of claws across concrete and he turned toward the sound.

Around the corner, running at top speed, came the strangest-looking rabbit Kurama had ever seen. Its fur was a reddish-brown color, over-laid with large blotches of lighter brown bordered in black. Instead of the signature cottontail most hares sported, it had a short sinuous tail that looked better suited to a lizard and slit-pupil eyes to match.

A wolf barreled around the corner behind it, hot on the rabbit's heels. Its non-descript grayish brown coat was shaggy and looked like it could use a good brushing-out. The wolf had a scar running down through its right eye, although the eye itself seemed to have been spared permanent injury. While the rabbit looked like it was running for its life, the wolf seemed to be chasing a favorite toy.

The two rushed toward Kurama, the hare skidding to a halt in front of him. Seeing an opportunity the wolf lunged, jaws ready to snap around the smaller animal. Anticipating this, the rabbit spun around and sprang upward, sinking its teeth squarely into the canine's nose. The wolf yelped loudly, jerking back and rubbing almost desperately at its snout with its paws.

The rabbit seemed to shake its head before turning back to Kurama and changing into a woman. She had reddish-brown hair tied at the nape of her neck and large hazel eyes with a slit pupil. She looked like she had just stepped off of a safari, wearing a beige button down shirt and khaki shorts with a pair of hiking boots. Her skin was well tanned, although he could still pick out the irregular blotches of brown edged in black along her arms as she folded them in front of her. "You Kurama?" she asked, looking him up and down. She didn't look impressed.

Kurama nodded while the wolf changed as well. The fur seemed to shrink back into his skin, leaving him only with a mop of hair on his head and scruffy-looking sideburns. He was wearing faded denim jeans, a t-shirt and tennis shoes that looked like they had seen better days. Dark brown eyes met Kurama's questioningly. "You're late," he said, his voice a bit muffled by the hand still clutching his nose. "When I told you I'd be here by 9:00 on Thursday I meant a.m., not p.m."

"Forgive me Hachiro," Kurama apologized. "And you, Miss...?"

"That's Momo," Hachiro said by way of introduction, gesturing to the woman. He lowered his hand, going cross-eyed as he tried to focus on his nose. "Well? How does it look?" he asked.

Kurama studied his nose with a raised eyebrow. "It's swelling and becoming discolored," he stated, his eyes sliding to Momo. It seemed it wasn't a coincidence that her coloring matched that of a mamushi, one of the more deadly snakes in Japan. "Do you need to have that looked at?" he asked.

"Nah, it'll be fine in a couple hours," Hachiro said, waving him off. "Momo never uses very much venom."

Momo grinned as Kurama looked back at her, revealing her fangs. "I got the best of both worlds- dad's speed and mom's venom," she explained. "Not that it seems to be doing _him_ any good."

"What exactly _is_ the purpose of this exercise?" Kurama asked.

"She's, ah..." Hachiro looked a bit embarrassed, scuffing his foot against the floor. "She's helping me curb my instinct to chase everything that moves," he admitted quietly.

"You'd think the pain of his tissue _melting_ before his body can counteract my venom would teach him to stop chasing things pretty quick, wouldn't you?" Momo chimed, throwing her arm over Hachiro's shoulder. "Sadly, he's got a pretty thick skull." She rapped her knuckles on his head to demonstrate her point.

Kurama just stared at them for a moment before shaking his head. "Sometimes I forget just how old I am," he muttered. He couldn't even remember training himself to resist the instinct to chase anything that moved quickly, especially if it was running _away_ from him.

Hachiro cleared his throat a bit nervously. "Anyway," he started, steering the conversation toward safer grounds, "I got the soil in the back if you want to look it over."

Kurama nodded, following the wolf demon. It didn't take him long to check and make sure it would suit his needs and soon they were carrying the boxes out to the van.

Hachiro blinked in surprise when he saw the vehicle. "This yours?" he asked. "When did you get rid of your car?"

"It's a rental," Kurama explained, opening the doors on the back and putting a box inside. "My car's in the shop."

"Ooo, tough luck," Momo said, putting her box down as Kurama moved aside. "Rental companies really gouge you with their prices this time of year."

"Yes, they certainly do," Kurama agreed. "Even if you're only keeping it for a few hours."

After they finished loading boxes Kurama pulled out his phone, his fingers quickly tapping back and forth across the screen before replacing the device in his pocket. A few seconds later Hachiro's phone beeped. "Payment in full," he announced, thumbing through the screens. "And a gratuity?" His questioning eyes sought out Kurama's.

The redhead nodded, climbing into the driver's seat. "The soil was of exceptional quality, higher even than I expected," he said, smiling slightly. "And I grossly miscalculated how long it would take at the rental place."

Hachiro laughed, putting his phone back in his pocket. "That's why I like working for you, Kurama."

Kurama shrugged. "Excellent work deserves to be rewarded. Shoddy work deserves to be done again."

"Speaking of work," Momo spoke up, "wasn't there something you needed to tell him?" she asked, elbowing Hachiro in the ribs.

The wolf demon stared at her blankly.

Momo sighed. "I swear, sometimes you really _are_ an idiot," she said, flicking his forehead. "O-bon's next week, remember?"

"Oh yeah!" Hachiro said, lightly smacking a fist into his palm. "I can't make any deliveries for you until after next week because we're staying through o-bon."

"O-bon?" Kurama questioned. "Any particular reason?"

"I like human festivals," he said, shrugging. "And going across the border isn't exactly easy these days."

"Fair enough," Kurama acquiesced, nodding his head. "I don't have any pending orders and anything that comes up can wait until after the holiday."

"Thanks man," Hachiro said, moving away from the van so Kurama could back out.

Kurama started the engine, clicking his seatbelt into place before leaning out the window. "One more thing," he called. "There's a hunter in town. Watch yourselves."

Hachiro and Momo nodded, thanking him for the warning as the van pulled away and disappeared down the street.

 **. . .**

 **To Be Continued**

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	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Saturday was another overcast day, a light rain cooling off the heat of the morning quite nicely. Kurama was enjoying the turn in the weather as he headed to pick up his car. He was two blocks away from the transmission shop when he noticed flashing lights and a police barricade a little ways down a side street. The last four days hadn't turned up any new leads about the demon hunter, so he decided to get closer and see what was going on.

A couple of police cars were parked around an entrance to an alley, their lights flashing. Crime scene tape had been put up, keeping the three or four curious bystanders back. An ambulance was inside the perimeter, blocking most of the view from the street although part of the body on the ground covered by a sheet was still visible from behind it. Police officers milled about the area, some talking to people in the surrounding buildings while others gathered evidence and put it in bags. However, what caught Kurama's attention was the blood on the wall eight to nine feet above the ground. The spatter pattern indicated some part of the body, likely the head, had hit the wall hard enough to break the bones and leave evidence of the brutal blow behind. There weren't many conventional ways for a ningen to hit a wall that high off the ground with that amount of force. If this was the demon hunter's work, then chances were good the body underneath the sheet was that of a wind demon.

Kurama's eyes moved back to the sheet, blinking as he noticed a crutch lying a few feet away from it. Although it was difficult to tell for sure from this distance, it didn't look nearly dirty enough to have been in the alley for long. He could see a second crutch sticking out from behind a trash bin a little further down. It was likely they belonged to the victim. Kurama turned, pensively glancing at the minion demon that had been following him and was currently crouching on the telephone line some twenty-five to thirty yards back. If Aki had indeed assigned a watcher to every demon in the city, then he should have a report from her before the day was done.

Kurama turned his head when he heard his name called, seeing the curly-haired detective stalking toward him. Taro didn't look all that happy to see him.

"Lemme guess, your information network told you the murderer would be here, but you got here too late, right?" Taro asked sarcastically.

Kurama smiled. "Actually, I was on my way to pick up my car from the shop, detec-," he stopped abruptly, shaking his head. "Forgive me, it's sergeant out here, isn't it?"

Taro stared at him contemplatively for several long seconds. At last he seemed to come to a decision, though he didn't look too happy about it. "We need to talk."

Kurama raised an eyebrow, a bit surprised, but followed Taro a little ways away where they could have a private conversation. "Alright, tell me everything you know about this guy," Taro demanded, cutting straight to the chase.

"I will, if you go first," Kurama stated.

Taro shook his head. "That's not how this works, Kurama," he said, his voice hard. "This is an active murder investigation. You tell the police what you know, we catch the guy. We don't need _vigilantes_ ," he spat, the emphasis on the word showing he meant _demons_ in general, or _Kurama_ in particular, "getting in the way."

Kurama resisted the urge to smile, keeping his face neutral. "I hardly think self-preservation qualifies as vigilantism," he said. "After all, being a demon, I am a target. And, Reikai law prevents me from taking any lethal action against ningen, regardless of the circumstances."

Taro rolled his eyes. "Let me guess, you want protective custody?" he asked snidely.

"No. Though, I believe you have a list of known demons in the city. You should assign a protective detail of one or two officers to each of them, if you want to prevent any more deaths."

"You're not the one giving orders here Kurama," Taro said sharply. "Let the police worry about keeping the civilians safe. If you want to help, then tell me what you know about this guy."

"It was merely a suggestion," Kurama stated, shrugging. "I am willing to trade information with you, nothing less. You sought me out, so I assumed you must be desperate. If that is not the case, then we have nothing further to discuss. Good day, sergeant." He turned and started walking away.

"Wait," Taro bit out, looking highly annoyed. "You were right," he admitted grudgingly. "This is the fifth murder and so far we only have the suspect's height and weapon of choice. Any information you can give us would be very helpful." He snorted, his lips turning up in a sardonic grin. "After all, who knows demons better than another demon?"

Kurama ignored the remark. "Tell me what you know so far and I'll see what I can add to it," he said.

Taro grimaced distastefully but nodded. They'd both played their cards and Kurama's hand was stronger. Like always. "The suspect is around 5' 7" and uses a bokken. That's...really about all we know."

"What about his victims?" Kurama asked.

"I can't give you any names or personal information," Taro stated stubbornly. "I'm breaking enough rules as it is."

"Names aren't necessary. If needs be, I can find that out on my own," Kurama said, not above ruffling Taro's feathers just a bit. "What types of demons were they? Where and how they were killed?"

Taro narrowed his eyes at Kurama's glib statement that he could access confidential information whenever he wished, but decided to let it slide for now. "They were all killed in pretty isolated locations- this is the first in a public place," he began. "The first victim was, well, some type of water demon, I guess. His ears looked like fins and he had a tail, at least. Cause of death was drowning, although he was found dead in an abandoned building. His lungs were filled with seawater, although he was miles from the sea. The second was a raccoon demon who was found in a park, beaten to death with a bokken. The third was an ogre, similar to the ones Koenma-sama employs in Reikai. He was also beaten to death and found in the junkyard where he worked. The fourth was an ice demon, found in an alley. Most of the ice had melted by the time we got there, but there was still enough of it intact underneath her body to show that she had been impaled by it. And, the fifth is a wind demon. He was beaten to death, as well."

Kurama nodded pensively, absorbing the information.

"Well?" Taro asked, rather impatiently. "What have you got for me? What type of demon are we looking for?"

"I'm sorry to disillusion you, but this is the work of a human," Kurama stated. "Powerful humans like to hunt demons, although I'm not sure how powerful this one actually is. Secluded locations from all over the city, different types of demons from different walks of life- it sounds like these weren't premeditated, but merely crimes of opportunity."

"You can't _possibly_ know the murderer is human from what I just told you," Taro stated disdainfully.

"Not from what you shared, no," Kurama agreed. "I know he's human because I picked up his scent at the last crime scene. Human male, although his age is difficult to gage through scent alone."

"I don't buy it."

"You are a sergeant on the police force. You deal with the dregs of human society every day," Kurama stated. "Is it really so difficult to believe that some human out there, like you, has a vendetta against demons and is doing his best to eradicate them?" He paused, pensively. "Or, perhaps is it that if he's a human, he's doing what you wish you could do and you don't want to have to track him down and bring him in?

Taro narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Let's get one thing straight," he said, his voice low. "I don't like you. I don't like your kind. But I am an officer first and foremost, sworn to uphold the law, be it Reikai law or Ningenkai law. Right now, someone's going around brutally murdering people. I don't care what reasons or vendettas they have. They've broken the law and it's my job to bring them in." He leaned forward, glaring at Kurama. "Don't _ever_ lump me in the same category as psychos that get off on brutally beating people who aren't even armed!"

Kurama inclined his head slightly, acknowledging Taro's commitment to his job although he made no apology for his remarks. "What reason would I have to lie?" the redhead continued, brushing aside the outburst. "Unless, of course, you think I am the one behind the killings?"

Taro stared at Kurama long and hard, clearly deciding whether or not to believe him. Kurama bore the scrutiny impassively. The detective's final decision made little difference to him. After a long minute, Taro gave an irritated sigh. "Alright, let's say I believe you. We're looking for a human psychic that can control water, then?"

"I don't believe so. The ice apparition was killed with her own ice. It was saturated with her youki. I couldn't sense any reiki in the area at all."

"So, she killed herself?" Taro asked. "What about the defensive wounds? All the victims have had at least one and they all came from the same weapon."

"It was murder," Kurama stated. "With her level of skill, there is no possible way she could have killed herself like that. I just haven't figured out how it was done." His eyes flicked to the alley. "I would guess something similar happened to Mr. Toshi. Somehow, his wind powers were used against him to throw him into the wall. I assume it wasn't enough to kill him, so the murderer finished the job with his bokken."

"How did you know the victim's name?" Taro asked, taken by surprise.

Kurama raised an eyebrow. "A wind demon in this area of the city on crutches? He owns the dry cleaners around the corner and broke his foot falling down the stairs two months ago," he said, smiling a bit at the irony. Although Mr. Toshi could summon rather strong gusts of wind, he was too terrified of heights to even think about trying to fly. "This is my territory, Taro. I make it my business to know about the demons living here."

"What is it with you demons and territory?" Taro demanded. "This city doesn't belong to you just because you _claim_ it's yours!"

"But it does, by demon standards. Think of it as a measure of protection, of me making your job just a bit easier. By claiming this city, I'm saying that everything in it belongs to me, including the humans and demons living here. Thus, any demons who harass or kill anyone in my territory then have to answer to me," Kurama explained.

"That still doesn't make it yours," Taro said stubbornly, folding his arms.

"And, to the humans, I don't act like it is," Kurama pointed out. "The demons, on the other hand..." He shrugged. "They either agree to live by my rules or they have a very short stay in this city."

"I still don't like it," Taro stated. "But, that aside, we're looking for a human who can somehow take control of demons' powers and use it against them?" The skepticism in his voice was clear.

"It seems so."

"You're just trying to send me on a wild goose chase, aren't you?"

"I once met a human psychic by the name of Yanagisawa Mistunari who was able to completely copy everything about a person, human or demon, simply from touching them. Everything from their looks and powers to their energy signature and even their memories," Kurama stated. "If one human has this power, it stands to reason that there may be more."

Taro shook his head. "Still sounds a bit far-fetched to me."

"Says the man who regularly meets with the prince of Reikai himself," Kurama noted, shrugging. "You're the one tasked with solving the case. I'm merely looking to ensure I live to see another day," he said, smiling.

"'Never trust a smiling fox,'" Taro quoted.

Kurama chuckled, turning away. "I have told you what I know. You are free to do with it what you will."

Taro watched the redhead walk away, thinking about everything Kurama said. A protective detail on the known demons in the city was a good idea and one he'd already considered. The problem was his lieutenant didn't believe in fairytales like 'demons' and there wasn't anything else tying the victims (or future victims) together. And, while a 'hunch' was good enough for some things, he'd need a more concrete reason to present to the lieutenant if he wanted to assign one or two officers to twenty some-odd demons. On the other hand, Kurama was actively investigating the case as well. If he was half as good as Botan said he was, then all Taro would have to do is follow him until he found the murderer. With a grim smile, he headed back toward the crime scene, already working on a plausible story to tell the lieutenant to get a surveillance team on the redhead.

 **. . .**

Kurama smiled as he finished his last delivery for the day, sliding into the driver's seat. Spending the last two weeks traveling via public transportation really made him appreciate his car. He was just sliding his keys into the ignition when his phone rang.

He pulled out the device, verifying the name on screen as he answered the call. "Thank you for calling Youko Creations, we specialize in plants and flowers for _every_ occasion," he recited, the slogan still making his lips quirk in a faint smirk even after all these years. "How may I assist you today?"

"I'm just calling to make sure you still accept mail-in forms," Aki's voice stated over the line.

"We do," Kurama said slowly, wondering why Aki wanted to mail her report instead of give it to him in person. "However with our wide selection of products, as well delivery options, we encourage a face-to-face consultation."

"I've heard the proprietor has his own fanclub. I don't want to have to deal with any of his stalkers who might be hanging around."

Kurama glanced at his rear view mirror, picking out the non-descript gray car that had been discreetly following him ever since he'd picked up his car from the shop that morning. He'd recognized one of the men as being under Taro's command, but hadn't yet figured out why the detective had put him under surveillance. "I understand your concerns," he stated, keeping his voice professional, "but we value our customer's privacy as well. A private appointment could be arranged, if that would work better for you."

"I was also in a work-related accident recently," Aki replied. "The mailbox is about as far as I want to go. My network is down, otherwise I would have just done this all on the website."

So Aki ran into the demon hunter and was injured but managed to get away. And her network was down... Kurama casually leaned his arm on the door, thinking back to the last time he'd seen the minion demon assigned to watch him. It had probably been about one, maybe even two hours since he'd last seen it. That meant Aki had either recalled them...or something had happened to the telepath controlling them. "I understand ma'am, and I'm sorry to hear about your accident," Kurama continued. "Please note that, since this is being done by mail, there will be a delay in processing the payment."

"I figured there would be."

"Can I help you with anything else today?"

"No, everything should be on the order form."

"In that case, thank you for choosing Youko Creations and I hope you have a wonderful day." Kurama waited until Aki hung up before sliding his own phone back into his pocket. It was Saturday afternoon, meaning he wouldn't get her report until Monday, which was already a busy day for him. Still, it sounded like she had more than enough information for Kurama to track the ningen down, even if he had to delay his plans until Tuesday or Wednesday. He could wait.

 **. . .**

Kurama pulled over in front of a small restaurant, double-checking the address in his book before getting out of the car. He had received Aki's report earlier that day and one of his deliveries happened to be near the location she had given him. He stepped out of the car, carrying a box of delicacy chocolates with a generic card on the front.

The restaurant was small but clean, a few booths lining one wall with several tables scattered about the rest of the room. Stools lined the bar at the far side of the room, the elderly lady wiping down the counter looking up at the bell that rang when Kurama opened the door.

"Welcome to Kenta's Rice Bowl," she greeted him, bowing politely. "Are you ready to order now or do you need a moment to look over our menu?"

"I'm actually looking for Hoshino Yuudai," Kurama stated, holding up the chocolates. "Is he here?"

"I'm afraid Yuudai just left to make some deliveries a few minutes ago. He won't be back for awhile," she said apologetically. "Would you like me to see that he gets it?"

"I would appreciate that, thank you," Kurama said, hiding his thoughts behind a smile. He handed over the chocolates before pulling out his receipt book. "Please sign at the bottom."

Kurama exited the store, walking away from his car toward the nearby alley and turning down it. He made his way to the back of the restaurant, shifting into his fox form and sniffing around the area. Aki's information was good; the ningen's scent was all over the place. He either picked up a lot of shifts here or he lived in the apartment upstairs.

Satisfied with the confirmation, Kurama shifted back to his human form and checked his watch. He frowned slightly, realizing he'd likely be late to his next appointment. Shaking his head, he made his way back to his car. His schedule was mostly free tomorrow- he'd come back and do a more thorough reconnaissance then.

 **. . .**

The following morning found Kurama sitting at the computer in his room, looking through various news websites to see if there had been any more murders. An article about o-bon caught his attention and he glanced up at the calendar on his wall. O-bon started on Thursday, the day after tomorrow. Kurama blinked in surprise, not having realized the holiday was so soon. He turned back to the computer screen, bringing up his website and posting a notice stating he would not be accepting any new orders until the following week. O-bon lasted three days and he didn't want to contend with the massive crowds traveling home for the holiday.

The clock showed it was just after ten in the morning and Kurama stood up and stretched, not having realized he'd been on the computer so long. He'd told his mother he'd go grocery shopping for her today. She'd been putting a list together when he'd got in the shower an hour ago. Shaking his head at allowing himself to get distracted (he'd only meant to look through a few headlines after he got dressed), he headed downstairs.

Shiori was sitting on the couch in the living room, reading a book. She looked up as he entered, smiling. "Most people give women a hard time about taking so long to get ready in the morning, but I think your wife might end up waiting on you, if you ever get married," she teased.

"I'm sorry, I allowed myself to get distracted," he apologized. "Do you have the grocery list?"

"It should be on the table in the kitchen."

Kurama nodded, heading that way. There was no list on the table, counters, fridge or anywhere in plain sight. "I don't see it on the table. Where else might you have put it?" he called.

"It's not there?" Shiori asked, coming into the kitchen as well. "Oh, shoot. Where did I leave it?"

Kurama smiled, putting his hands in his pockets. "See if you can find it. I think I left my keys upstairs," he said, heading back to his room. His keys were sitting on his nightstand and he put them in his pocket, making sure he had his wallet as well. He moved over the window, twitching the curtain aside far enough to see the nondescript gray car sitting outside, one or two houses down on the opposite side of the street. It seemed he was still either under surveillance or had his own protective detail.

For the last three days Kurama had been followed discreetly, either by an unmarked car or a plain-clothed officer. These seemed to be people Taro trusted to some extent, because a few times Kurama had changed into his fox form once out of sight. The officers didn't even bat an eye, and kept following the fox. And, every time Kurama lost them, they'd be waiting back at his house. He shook his head as he let the curtain fall back in place, wondering how Taro had managed to get his ningen information. Perhaps he had pulled the record from Kurama's license plate or convinced Botan to tell him. Regardless, whatever the detective thought he'd accomplish by tailing the redhead, Kurama was mostly content to ignore his presence as long as he didn't get too close. And, although he could easily lose the tail when it suited him, leading the officers on a wild goose chase had proven entertaining in its own right.

He turned to go when vertigo swept over him, leaving him reeling. He grabbed onto a corner of the desk, barely managing to remain upright as the room spun around him. He felt weak and tired, as if he'd just ran miles on end without stopping. His breath sounded harsh in his own ears and his legs and arms were shaking from the strain of remaining standing. It all happened so quickly, his mind struggling to keep up with the sudden changes. Blackness was already hovering at the edges of his vision, rapidly expanding until it completely swallowed his sight. He could no longer feel his arms or legs and some distant part of his mind registering his was falling as his awareness faded away. He was unconscious before he hit the floor.

Shiori was standing in the kitchen, trying to remember where she had put the list when she heard a heavy _thump_ upstairs. "Shuichi?" she called, moving to the doorway and looking up the staircase. "Are you alright?" When there was no answer she climbed up the stairs, glancing around to see what might have caused the noise. The door to her son's room, which was usually kept closed, now stood open and she glanced inside. The redhead was lying on the floor, not moving.

"Shuichi!" Shiori cried, rushing to her son's side. She carefully rolled him onto his back, a cursory examination revealing no obvious injuries. A quick glance around the room showed the window was closed and none of the plants he kept for defense seemed to have been disturbed. Turning back to her son, she noted his breathing was shallow and a bit labored, as if he had to fight to draw it in. She held his hand between hers as he stirred, heavy lids opening to reveal dull emerald eyes beneath. His brow furrowed slightly in confusion as his eyes focused on her.

"Mother...?" he asked dazedly, his voice soft.

"I'm here, Shuichi," she assured him, squeezing his hand gently. "I came upstairs when I heard a noise and found you unconscious on the floor. Can you tell me what happened?"

Kurama blinked slowly, processing the information. "I...I don't..." The words trailed off, his eyes becoming distant as a memory slowly made its way to the forefront of his mind. "Oh," he said at last, his eyes sliding shut once more. "It's time, then."

"What Shuichi? Time for what?" Shiori asked, her worry mounting at the resigned tone he used. "What's happening?"

"I'm sorry, Mother," Kurama apologized, forcing his eyes open once more so he could look at her. "I probably should have told you before, but I didn't know when or even _if_ it would happen. So much has changed..." He weakly shook his head, bringing his wandering mind back to the topic at hand. "When you came for me in the Makai, you said that Yuusuke told you about the incident with the Mirror of Darkness, correct?"

Shiori's eyebrows rose slightly at the abrupt change of topic, but she tried to remember that conversation with Yuusuke so many years ago. It came back to her after a moment and her eyes widened, not liking where this was going. Yuusuke had been justifiably angry at the time and had probably said more than he had intended to when he told her how the mirror operated and what her son had tried to do.

"You never did ask how I survived," Kurama stated quietly. "The mirror uses the life energy of the person making the wish to fulfill the request. Not wanting you to mourn your son's passing, Yuusuke offered part of his life to the mirror so it wouldn't have to drain mine completely," he explained. He gave her a wan smile. "It seems that my time has finally come."

Shiori just stared at him. This couldn't be happening. She gripped his hand to hide the fact that hers was shaking. "How long?" she asked, a slight tremor in her voice.

"I don't know," Kurama admitted. "Probably not long."

"No..." she whispered, tears filling her eyes. Kurama was a demon, far older than she and destined to live for many more years long after she was gone. Her precious child couldn't be _dying_ now, not for something he had done years ago to save _her_. "No! You can't! Shuichi-!" Her voice broke and she shook her head fiercely, biting back a sob. She couldn't fall to pieces now, not in what may be the last moments of his life.

"It's alright, mother," Kurama said soothingly. With what seemed a tremendous effort he lifted his other hand, placing it over hers. "At the time, this sacrifice would have killed me. But now... So much has changed..."

Shiori sat forward, gripping his hands tightly with both of hers. "But now what?" she asked, scarcely daring to breathe. "What has changed?"

"There may be a chance..." His eyelids were dropping again even as he fought to keep them open. "I can't be sure, there is still so much I don't know..." His voice was growing softer, each word a little more slurred than the last. "But, if there is even the slightest chance...I'll take it."

Shiori had to lean in close to catch his words, though they made little sense to her. "Stay with me, Shuichi," she pleaded, blinking back the tears as she brought her hand up to cup his cheek. "Please..."

Kurama gave her another faint smile. "I love you, mother," he breathed, the words barely audible. His eyes slid closed once more as his head fell limply to the side.

Shiori's breath caught in her throat when his chest fell as he exhaled and did not rise again. "Shuichi," she called, shaking his shoulder in a vain attempt to wake him. "Shuichi!" His body moved limply beneath her hand. "No," she cried, gathering the still form into her arms. Her tears fell into his hair as she cradled him to her, gently rocking back and forth. "No, no, no, no..."

 **. . .**

 **To Be Continued**

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	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Shiori sat on the floor, crying brokenly as she held Kurama's body close. This couldn't be happening. Her son couldn't be gone. Fifteen minutes ago he was perfectly fine, asking if she had a grocery list for him to pick up, and now... Her heart clenched and she buried her head in his hair, weeping bitterly.

After a moment she pulled back slightly to look at his face, her tears blurring her vision as she brought a hand up to stroke his cheek. She almost dropped him in surprise when her fingers met with not skin, but fur. Quickly wiping her eyes, she studied his face. His skin was covered in a fine white coat, the fur thickening perceptibly as she watched. His nose and mouth were elongated, already beginning the transition from human features to a canine muzzle and the furry tips of his ears were just poking out of the hair on the top of his head. There was no doubt about it. He was changing.

Shiori gently laid him back on the ground, noting he was almost a foot shorter than he had been. She'd seen him change forms before, but never so slowly. The fact that he still wasn't breathing did not bode well, either.

It was several long minutes before he finished transforming into a white, five-tailed fox. Shiori had moved him to the bed once he was small enough for her to lift and sat next to him, anxiously waiting and hoping he would wake up. She sagged in relief when he finally started breathing again, gasping for air for a few seconds before his breaths evened out.

"Oh, Shuichi," she breathed, laying on the bed and pulling the fox close to her. "My dear, sweet, _exasperating_ Shuichi. How many more 'surprises' do you have in store for your poor mother?" she asked rhetorically, watching his chest rise and fall with each breath. She ran her hand through his fur, feeling the reassuring warmth of his still-living body beneath her fingers. She could feel her heart thundering in her ribcage from the emotional roller coaster of the last few minutes and she shook her head. "One of these days, you're going to be the death of me."

 **. . .**

Kurama regained consciousness slowly, tired eyes opening to the familiar sight of his room. He blinked lazily, trying to remember what had happened to cause the bone-deep exhaustion permeating his entire being. He registered Shiori's scent nearby about the same time he realized someone was rubbing his back. "Mother," he said- or tried to, at least. What escaped his mouth was more of a cross between a strangled growl and a yelp. He jerked in surprise at the noise, the shock clearing a bit of the haze from his mind and he abruptly realized he was in his fox form.

"Shuichi? Are you alright?" Shiori asked anxiously, her worried face coming into view as she leaned over him. "You're not in any pain, are you?"

Kurama managed to shake his head, surprised by the amount of effort the movement required. The events leading up to the current situation came back to him slowly and he sighed, finally able to place why he was so exhausted. Dying really took a lot out of you.

Shiori still looked worried, so he tried to muster up the energy to reassure her. /I'm...fine,/ he managed after a moment, marveling at how something as simple as telepathy could be so draining. /Just...exhausted./

Shiori smiled, clearly relieved to hear his voice. "Get some rest, then," she said, stroking his fur soothingly. "I'll be here when you wake up. We can talk later."

Kurama didn't need to be told twice. He let his weary eyes slide shut, welcoming the oblivion of sleep.

 **. . .**

When Kurama woke next his mind was clear. The overwhelming exhaustion had eased a bit, though it still weighed heavily on him. A glance at the clock on the nightstand showed it was early afternoon and he raised his head, looking for his mother.

Shiori had moved a chair next to his bed and was reading a book. She paused when she saw him awake and looking around and she smiled. "Are you feeling any better, Shuichi?" she asked, marking her spot and closing the book as his eyes landed on her.

/A bit,/ Kurama answered, rolling over so he was facing her. /Though, it will likely be sometime before I am completely recovered,/ he continued.

"How long?" she asked.

/I don't know,/ Kurama admitted. /The last time I died, I spent months primarily sleeping to regain enough energy to be able to function. However, I highly doubt that will be the case this time./

"I don't understand, Shuichi," Shiori said. "You speak of magical artifacts draining life and then you actually _die_ right in front of me only to come back as a fox, and-" She cut herself off, shaking her head. "I don't understand at all. What's going on?"

Kurama looked a little surprised and then chagrined at his own oversight. /I suppose I didn't explain it very well,/ he said apologetically. /When I used the Mirror of Darkness, I was completely human. I had no way to access my demon form and I had begun to doubt that I ever would. It seems that because I was completely human, the mirror only drained reiki from me. My human life span was shortened considerably, while my demon side was untouched. Today, my human life came to an end. Fortunately, having regained the ability to revert to my demon form, I was able to switch over instead of dying completely./

"If you knew this was going to happen, why didn't you warn me about it?" Shiori asked, her tone chastising.

/I couldn't be sure. As I grew, my youki gradually returned to me, but I could not access it in my human form. Had the mirror pulled from my youki as well, this would have happened centuries, or even millennia from now. There was no reason to worry you pointlessly./

"Pointlessly worrying over something that may or may not happen is much better than watching your son _die_ and having _no idea_ what's happening or _why_ ," Shiori stated, her voice hard.

Kurama flinched. /I'm sorry, Mother,/ he apologized, ears pinned back as he lowered his head. /I had thought I would have enough warning that you wouldn't have to witness that. I was wrong./

Shiori sighed, shaking her head. "I'm not angry with you, Shuichi," she said, reaching a hand out to fondle his ears. "I _should_ be, but I'm not. It was just so sudden... I was terrified that I had lost you."

Kurama was silent for a moment, considering his next words. It should be obvious, but he still felt it needed to be said. /My human form is completely gone. As of today, Minamino Shuichi is no more./

Shiori's hand stilled, her fingers still resting on his head. "What does that mean, exactly?"

/My mind is still my own,/ he assured her. /However, I can no longer assume my human form. You will never again see the body of the red-haired, green-eyed human you gave birth to thirty-six years ago. For all intents and purposes, Minamino Shuichi is dead./

He remained still under Shiori's hand, giving her a moment to process that before continuing. /Because of this, you will have to tell father about me./

"Me?!" Shiori asked, startled. "Don't you think it would be a bit more convincing if you told him? I don't really understand how you went from a fully matured demon to the unborn human child in my womb in the first place, much less what just happened. And I'm sure Kazuya will ask for details I simply cannot give."

/This entire situation will be a bit much for him to take in at one sitting. We want to help him come to terms with the fact that his step son is actually a demon, not give him a heart attack,/ Kurama said, the words teasing although his tone was serious.

"I'm not so sure about that," Shiori said, smiling. "Surprising him with a five-tailed, telepathic fox might prove enough of a shock that he simply doesn't question anything else."

Kurama chuckled. /Amusing as that sounds, I believe we need to bring him into this slowly, give him time to get used to the idea before introducing him to a five-tailed, telepathic fox./

Shiori nodded, leaning back contemplatively. "How, though?" she asked. "If I tell him my son has 'died' and turned into a youko, the first thing he's going to do is schedule me an appointment with a psychiatrist." She shook her head, smiling ruefully. "I think the direct approach would be best. If you think your current form is too much, what about your youko form? You look mostly human and won't be using telepathy, so that should minimize at least some of the shock."

Kurama gave her a tired canine grin. /That would be ideal,/ he agreed. /But, I'm completely drained. At this moment, I couldn't change to my demon form if my life depended on it. I'd need a few days to recuperate, at the very least, and even that would be pushing my limits. I should be strong enough to comfortably maintain my youko form next week, but it will likely be several more weeks, if not months, before I'm completely recovered./

Shiori looked a little surprised. "I've never seen anything that could keep you in bed for more than a few days- not even that car accident before I discovered who you really were," she said.

/Exhaustion of the body is easily remedied. I'll be up and about in a day or two,/ he assured her. /However, the energy I expended to survive the death of my human form will take much longer regenerate./ He cocked his head to the side pensively. /Actually, a few months isn't bad at all. Last time it took years. It seems merely losing all the human aspects of myself isn't nearly so draining as dying, crossing the boundaries between worlds and merging with the fetus of an entirely different species./ He huffed out a laugh, shaking his head. /I couldn't even form coherent thoughts until I was almost a year old. Comparatively speaking, my recovery is already well underway./

Shiori blinked, never having heard Kurama speak so candidly about his death before. "Alright," she said, forcibly pulling her thoughts back to the matter at hand, "But, Kazuya won't be swayed by my word alone. Do you have any suggestions that might make this easier?"

Kurama yawned widely, giving his head a little shake afterward as if to wake himself up. /One witness is easily discounted. Two are a little more difficult to dismiss./

"Suuichi-kun?" Shiori asked, seeing where that statement was headed. "Yes, I think that will help- at least until you're feeling well enough to speak with Kazuya yourself."

Kurama was silent for moment, thinking. /Your birthday is only a few weeks away,/ he pointed out. /I believe an early present of two train tickets for you and father to go visit is in order./

"You can save that excuse for later. I've been talking about taking a trip somewhere since that demon hunter came to Tokyo," Shiori reminded him. "Though I haven't mentioned it in the last week, bringing it up again now wouldn't be all that surprising." She smiled, stroking his fur. "Although, Kazuya has mentioned that he had no idea botany was such a lucrative business," she said. "Or that people would pay what must be _exorbitant_ amounts of money for mere flowers."

/It's all in the marketing,/ Kurama said, grinning. /And in cutting all _unnecessary_ expenses./

"Such as green houses, potting soil and water?" Shiori guessed.

/Exactly./

She laughed, shaking her head. "You've sent us out of town to get us out of your hair often enough that Kazuya won't question you paying for this trip- like the dutiful son who makes more than his parents and wants to make his mother happy should," she teased. "However, it's nice to be sent away for a reason _other_ than our safety. I know you are capable of taking care of yourself, but when you tell me you're going to hunt down a man-eating demon while we're gone, I can't help but worry," she said, idly running her hand down her back.

Kurama leaned into the caress, enjoying the feeling his mother's nails through the fur. He blinked as his eyes landed on the calendar on the wall. /Today is Tuesday, isn't it?/ he asked suddenly.

"Yes," she replied. "Why?"

Kurama chuckled. /Never mind the trip. Suuichi-kun is likely already on his way here./

"Suuichi-kun's coming up here?" Shiori asked. "Whatever for- oh!"

/Yes, o-bon starts the day after tomorrow./

"I had almost forgotten about that. I was only talking to Akari about it _last week_ ," she said a bit sardonically, shaking her head. "It seems the memory really is the first thing to go."

/You've had a lot on your mind the past few hours. I'm sure the brief lapse can be excused. Besides, you're not _that_ old, mother,/ Kurama stated, sounding just a touch exasperated.

"Maybe not compared to you," Shiori teased with a grin. "But, Kazuya has already retired and taken another job when the excessive free time was too much for him to handle. It's a good thing you managed to arrange for him to work for that 'colleague' of yours or else these sporadic little trips would be problematic, even if it is only once or twice a year." She paused, studying the fox for a moment. He still looked exhausted. "Will you be alright here by yourself?" she asked seriously. "While we visit the ancestral graves?"

Kurama nodded lazily. /I'm planning to sleep for most of the next day or two,/ he assured her tiredly, laying his head on one of his paws.

"Alright, Shuichi," she said, glancing at the clock and pushing herself to her feet. "Your brother is almost certain to get here late, so we'll probably tell Kazuya tomorrow. Would you mind if I told him you're not feeling well? He'll likely be home soon and I highly doubt he'll come in here to check on you, but I can tell him you've gone to a friend's if you'd rather not risk it."

/As he'll soon be in on the secret, I think it's best if you stick as close to the truth as possible,/ Kurama stated, sighing as his eyes drifted shut.

Shiori nodded, leaning over and kissing her son's head. "Get some rest, my little fox."

 **. . .**

The waxing gibbous moon shone down between the clouds, adding to the meager light of the street lamps illuminating the deserted city streets. The hour was late and most people had already retired to their beds for the night. One lone man walked down the sidewalk, his steps loud in the silence of the night. His attire consisted of blue jeans, a t-shirt and tennis shoes, and he carried a non-descript bag slung casually over one shoulder. A pair of wire-rimmed glasses caught the light as he passed beneath the street lamps and a soft breeze ruffled his dark brown hair. He moved with the confidence of one that had walked this street countless times before as he approached the only house with a light still on. Sliding his key into the lock, he opened the door and stepped inside.

"Suuichi-kun?" Shiori called from the living room. "Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me," Suuichi called back, setting his bag down as he removed his shoes. "Sorry I'm late."

Shiori walked into the hall. "I was beginning to get worried," she stated, giving her stepson a hug.

"Sorry," Suuichi apologized again. "I ended up leaving later than I had intended. The Adachis'- the elderly couple that lives above me -got their cat stuck in the tree in front of the apartment building. It isn't the first time this has happened and I've gotten it down before, so they asked if I could help them out before I left. Stupid cat doesn't like me much, though," he complained, holding up his arm and showing Shiori several superficial scratches along his forearm. "Anyway, I was already running late when that happened and then the trains were delayed... You know how it is traveling at this time of the year. I'm just happy I finally made it."

"Sounds like quite an eventful day," Shiori said. She hesitated, looking like she wanted to say something more before shaking her head. "I'm guessing you didn't eat dinner, right? I'll fix you something."

"Thanks," he said, following her into the kitchen. "Dad and Shuichi already in bed?"

"Your father went to bed about half an hour ago," Shiori said, putting a kettle on to boil. "And...I suppose you could say your brother turned in early."

Suuichi's eyes narrowed, watching Shiori's back as she pulled a few items from the refrigerator and set them on the counter. "Demon business?" he asked, lowering his voice. "Was he injured? Is he even here?"

"Not 'demon business' exactly," Shiori hedged, pulling out a cutting board and slicing up a tomato. "And he's here, but... It's... Well... There isn't really an easy way to say this," she said, keeping her eyes on the cutting board. She had avoided thinking about what had happened for most of the day- right afterwards because she was afraid of what it might mean and didn't want to give her imagination free reign over the possible connotations. Later on, after she had talked with her son, she had needed to act normal so as to not arouse Kazuya's suspicion, so she had done her best to find things to distract herself. Now, it was all coming out in the open, whether she was ready to deal with it or not. "Please don't take this the wrong way, but everything... _human_ about your brother is...gone." She took a deep breath, plunging ahead. "Shuichi...well, _died_ this morning. Only the demon remains." She had to force the words past the lump forming in her throat.

Suuichi blinked. "Come again?" he asked, moving to Shiori's side. "What do you mean, Shuichi died? And 'only the demon remains?' Is that somehow different from his youko form? What, has he turned into some sort of animal or something?"

"No, not exactly," Shiori said, shaking her head. She pulled a plate from the cupboard, laying two slices of bread on it. "He is in his fox form currently, but as far as I can tell, his mind is still the same."

"I'm too tired for word games right now," Suuichi said, rubbing a hand over his eyes. "What do you mean, 'he died?' Are you speaking figuratively? Or did he keel over and then come back? I mean, it's not like this would be the first time for him..."

Shiori closed her eyes, turning her head away as she set the jar of pickles back on the counter. "Suuichi-kun, please..." she whispered, the words hoarse and pleading. The memory was much more vivid than she would have liked and the emotions were still far too raw.

Suuichi stared at her for a moment, before he realized what had happened. "You saw it, didn't you?" he asked softly. "Whatever it was that happened to Shuichi, you were here the whole time, weren't you?"

Shiori nodded mutely, a tear slipping down her cheek as Suuichi put his arms around her, holding her tightly. Logically, Shiori knew her son was very much alive and sleeping in his room upstairs. But, in her mind she saw him lying on the floor, each breath more shallow than the last until it stopped all together. The crushing grief washed over her once more, the overwhelming confusion and loss... Logically, there was no reason for her to feel this way. But, as she knew from experience, logic and emotion rarely go hand in hand. She clung to Suuichi as she cried, letting it all out.

Suuichi just held her, rubbing her back as he mentally berated himself for his complete and utter lack of tact. Being tired from a long day of travel was no excuse for such callous behavior. Even if Shiori wasn't making any sense, he really could have handled that much better. He waited until she had calmed somewhat before speaking again. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I should have realized that this would be difficult for you to talk about. There is no excuse for my behavior."

Shiori shook her head, pulling back to pick up a napkin to wipe her eyes. "No, it's alright," she assured him. "I'm sorry for falling apart like that. I thought I had gotten it all out of my system earlier, but..." She shook her head again as the kettle began whistling, taking it off the stove and adding the blend of tea leaves Suuichi liked before moving over to finish putting together the sandwich.

Suuichi watched her, deciding the best way to broach the subject without upsetting his mother again. "So, about Shuichi... What does that mean?" he asked carefully. "You know, for us?"

"I'm not sure," Shiori admitted. "He was exhausted from the ordeal, so we didn't talk for long, but he seemed to still be himself. However, he can no longer change into your red-haired stepbrother. He's a five-tail fox right now and he said he still has his youko form, but his human form is gone." She set his plate on the table, pouring tea for both of them and taking the seat opposite him.

Suuichi thanked her absently, ruminating over what she had told him. "I still don't understand," he said at last. "How can he have lost his human form?"

"Do you remember when I was sick, years ago? I was dating your father at the time, a little over a year before we got married."

Suuichi nodded. "Yeah I remember, he was almost always at the hospital," he said, taking a bite of the sandwich.

Shiori nodded, sipping her tea. "Well, my miraculous recovery was due to an item Shuichi had used to heal me. However, in exchange, it was supposed to take his life. A friend of his interfered, so it didn't take his life completely, but now it has..." She trailed off, shaking her head. "He explained it to me, but I still don't completely understand. I tend to get lost when he starts talking about reiki and youki. The only point he was clear on was that Minamino Shuichi is gone. Permanently." She let that sink in, sipping her tea as she waited for him to finish his sandwich before continuing. "And we have to tell your father."

Suuichi gave a short, humorless laugh. "Ri~ight."

"I know," Shiori sighed. "This isn't going to be easy."

"Oh, telling him will be easy enough," Suuichi said, waving a hand dismissively. "Convincing him we're not _crazy_ on the other hand..." He shrugged. "We all know dad's never put much stock in 'fairy tales' like demons and such. What we need is a demonstration of some sort; irrefutable proof that demons do, in fact, exist."

"I think confronting him with a telepathic fox might be a bit much to start with," Shiori stated. "He'll need some time to get used to the idea first."

"What about the other form? His youko one?" Suuichi suggested. "Visible proof, minimal shock- well, as minimal as it can be, anyway."

Shiori shook her head. "I suggested the same thing, but it was a very taxing process," she explained. "It has left him completely drained. He can't access his youko form at present. That's why he needs us to tell Kazuya for him."

Suuichi stared down at the table pensively. "Alright," he said after a moment. "Dad's gonna want to talk to him after we break the news anyway, but I suppose even that little amount of time would be better than introducing them without any warning whatsoever. I don't think telling him first thing in the morning would be a good idea, though," he said, scratching his chin. "Maybe after we get back from cleaning the graves..."

"Yes, I was thinking the same thing," Shiori said. "I'm just not entirely sure the best way to go about it."

Suuichi shrugged. "It's generally a good idea to start at the beginning," he suggested.

"Which one?" Shiori countered. "Technically, this started while I was pregnant with him, although I didn't know about it until he was nineteen."

Suuichi considered that for a moment. "It'd probably be best to start from when you found out," he said thoughtfully. "Less confusing if you stick to the timeline you know."

"I suppose that makes sense," Shiori agreed.

He nodded, stifling a yawn. "Well, I'm beat and you look pretty tired too. Either way, I think we should sleep on it," he suggested, pushing himself to his feet and taking his dishes to the sink. "Who knows? Maybe we'll get lucky and he'll believe us right from the start."

Shiori gave a tired laugh. "I suppose it doesn't hurt to dream."

 **. . .**

Kurama's ear twitched as the door to his room opened, the slight creak of old hinges pulling him from sleep. He lifted his head, turning toward the door as Suuichi looked in.

"Oh good, you're up," Suuichi greeted stepping fully into the room, balancing a tray on one arm and closing the door behind him.

Kurama yawned widely, stretching first his front legs and then hind legs before moving to the side of the bed as Suuichi walked over to him. /Good morning. Or is it afternoon?/ he asked, glancing at the clock on the wall.

"It's still morning. We haven't been out to the ancestral graves yet," Suuichi answered. "Mom said you haven't eaten since yesterday. I wasn't sure what you eat as a fox, but I remembered you trying your hand at deep sea fishing when we were lost at sea, so I figured fish was a pretty safe bet," he said, setting the tray down on the bed. "I hope grilled is okay."

Kurama perked up at the sight of four small fish on a plate next to a bowl of water, suddenly ravenous. /Grilled is fine,/ he assured his brother as he began to eat slowly, mindful of his table manners in front of Suuichi. /Thank you./

"No problem," Suuichi said, sitting next to him on the bed. It was... _odd_ to watch the fox carefully separate the meat from the bones with one paw and then almost delicately pick up the small pieces with his teeth before swallowing them. He hadn't really expected Kurama to eat like a dog, picking up the entire fish in his mouth and trying to swallow it whole, but it was still surreal to watch. "Mom said you died yesterday. Are you okay now?" He cringed as soon as the words had left his mouth. "You know, that sounded a lot better in my head."

Kurama chuckled, his soft laugh echoing in Suuichi's mind.

"What?" Suuichi asked, just a touch of exasperation in his tone although there was a smiling playing about his lips. "You know, death is a terminal condition for _most_ people."

/I am not most people,/ Kurama reminded him.

"No, it seems to be optional for you- not that I'm complaining. I like having you around, even if you can be a royal pain at times," he teased. "But seriously, are you alright? Are there going to be any side effects or anything like that?"

/I don't believe so,/ Kurama stated, his tone also becoming serious. /It will take some time for my energy to return, but other than physical fatigue, I'm fine./

"So, you're going to lounge about the house until the lethargy wears off?" Suuichi paraphrased, grinning. "You sure there's not some feline in your ancestry?"

/I? A _cat?_ / Kurama snorted. /Of all the things to say!/ He shook his head in mock disbelief. /Honestly, some people have no manners whatsoever./

Suuichi laughed. "Well, what'd you expect? Lying about the house for weeks, doing nothing more than eating and sleeping while mom waits on you hand and foot?" he asked. "Sounds like a cat to me."

/It'll likely be several months before my youki is back to normal levels,/ Kurama explained. /That has nothing to do with my physical abilities. I'll sleep through today, maybe tomorrow too, and then I'll be fine. I use my youki to manipulate plants. My day to day life won't be affected by that handicap./

"Okay," Suuichi nodded after a moment. "That sounds more like you. You've never really been one to sit around doing nothing for extended periods."

Kurama inclined his head in acknowledgement before he went back to eating.

Suuichi watched him, biting his lip. He'd reassured himself of his brother's well-being. Now, it was time for the hard questions. "So," he said after Kurama had cleaned three of the fish and was starting on the fourth, "Mom told me a bit about what happened yesterday. Something about payment for you healing her when she was sick?"

/Yes./

"That was...a long time ago. I'm guessing you knew this was coming, right?"

Kurama could see where this was going. /Yes,/ he answered.

Suuichi was silent for a moment, remembering Shiori's tears and anguish as she cried the night before, helpless to do anything but hold her until she'd calmed down. "Why did you put her through that?" he asked quietly. "Why did you make her _watch?_ "

Kurama stopped eating, although he did not meet his brother's eyes. /That was a slight miscalculation on my part,/ he said quietly.

" _Slight miscalculation?_ " Suuichi repeated. "No, a slight miscalculation is when you take 10,000 yen to the store and end up at the register with 10,050 yen worth of stuff." He gave the fox a hard look. "What you did was downright cruel."

Kurama laid his ears back, lowering his head a bit further. /I know./

"I mean, couldn't you have _at least_ given her a little warning beforehand?" Suuichi pressed. "You've known this was coming for _years_. Why didn't _say something?_ Just about _anything_ would have been kinder than what you did."

Kurama lifted his head, meeting Suuichi's gaze. His eyes weren't defiant, but neither were they apologetic. /Do you think I should have told her that I may die at any moment and there is absolutely _nothing_ she can do about it but stand helplessly by and watch?/ he countered. /Let her live with this hanging over her for _twenty years?_ To leave her wondering every time I'm out late, every time she can't get a hold of me because my cell phone is off or I'm out of the service area, if this is it? If I've died in some forsaken place where they'll never find my body? If the next call she'll get is one asking her to come down to the morgue and identify my remains?/ he asked, his voice hard. /Is _that_ the kindness you ask of me, Suuichi-kun?/

Suuichi flinched, not having considered the other side of the argument. "Well, no," he said, his voice losing its edge. "But still, couldn't you have done _something?_ " he pleaded. "Given her _some_ warning, at least tell her what was happening?"

/I tried,/ Kurama stated, his voice sounding very tired. /Believe it or not, dying really affects your mental capabilities. I tried to explain to her what was happening, tried to tell her there was a chance I could survive in my demon form, but I think I only ended up confusing her more./

Suuichi was silent for a moment, able to understand his brother's concerns even if he didn't completely agree with how he handled the situation. "I just..." He trailed off, shaking his head. "That was a cruel thing to do to mom."

/I did not mean to put her through this. I foolishly thought I'd have enough warning beforehand, that I could either tell her or disappear for a few days until it was over. I was wrong./

They were both silent for a moment. "My brother, the great Shuichi, admitting he was _wrong?_ " Suuichi joked weakly, trying to relieve the tension still hanging in the air. "It must be a sign of the apocalypse."

Kurama returned his smile with a canine grin. /I'd say 'I'm only human,' but I'd be lying./

"Speaking of which, why'd you tell mom 'Shuichi' is gone?" he asked. "What does that even mean? You're still the same as you ever were...right?"

Kurama raised one shoulder in his best approximation of a shrug. /I wanted mother to understand that she will never again see the human version of her son,/ he explained, lapping up some water from the bowl on the tray before continuing to eat the fish. /Humans tend to be sentimental about things as fleeting as one's appearance./

Suuichi blinked. "And...you thought this was important enough to bring up when she was still trying to understand what was going on...why?" he asked slowly.

Kurama paused, cocking his head to the side pensively. /Perhaps that wasn't the best time to broach the subject,/ he conceded.

"You think?" Suuichi asked. "You just _died_ but the most important thing on your mind was making sure mom knew you'd never be a redhead again?" He laughed, shaking his head. "You really need to work on your priorities."

Kurama shrugged again, finishing off the last of the fish. /As I said, dying severely affects one's mental capacities. It is not something one can recover from with only a few hours of rest,/ he said, licking his paw clean.

"Dude, death isn't something that _anyone_ recovers from," Suuichi pointed out. "Well, except you, apparently."

Kurama gave him another canine grin before lapping up some more water. /Thank you for the meal,/ he said, swiping his paw across his jaw a few times and licking the water off it to keep from dripping all over the bed.

"Mom was the one that made it for you," Suuichi said, picking up the tray. "I just brought it up."

There was a soft knock on the door before Shiori poked her head in. "How are you feeling this morning Shuichi?" she asked.

/Much better,/ Kurama answered.

"I'll take this down to the kitchen," Suuichi said, moving to the door.

Shiori held the door for him as he left, closing it behind him and moving to sit next to Kurama on the bed. "We're about ready to go," she told him, stroking his back. "Are you sure you'll be alright here by yourself?"

Kurama relaxed beneath her hand, letting his eyes slide close. /I'll be fine. I'm still tired, so I'll likely sleep for most of the day, anyway./

"Shiori!" Kazuya called from downstairs. "We're ready to go!"

"Coming!" she called back. "Kazuya wanted to come see you when I told him you weren't feeling well enough to come with us today, but I managed to talk him out of it," she said, turning back to her son. "We're planning on tell him after we finish cleaning the graves, and I think he'll probably want to see you for himself at that point."

/That should be fine. I don't sleep very deeply when in this form,/ Kurama stated. /A knock on the door or the creak of the hinges should be enough to wake me./

Shiori nodded, leaning over and kissing the top of his head. "Sleep well, Shuichi."

Kurama watched her leave, closing the door behind her. He stood and padded back to the middle of the bed, circling a time or two before lying down and drifting off to sleep.

 **. . .**

 **To Be Continued**

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	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Shiori emptied out the bucket of water and returned it to the priests while Kazuya and Suuichi gathered up the food offerings that had been laid out while they were cleaning the graves. Although she knew he wouldn't dismiss the concept of demons out of hand because it was coming from both her and Suuichi, she still dreaded the conversation that was to come. She knew it needed to be done before they returned home and she was running out of time. No matter how badly she imagined it going in her mind, she knew it would be worse if Kazuya saw the fox before the situation was explained to him.

It was early afternoon when they exited the temple and Shiori suggested they stop for lunch before heading home. Kazuya had agreed and Shiori gave Suuichi a slight nod when she caught his eye. This was it.

They found a small cafe, sitting in a corner booth a little away from the few patrons left over from the lunch rush for a bit of privacy. They ordered and made small talk while they waited for the food to arrive, both Shiori and Suuichi thinking about the best way to broach the topic that needed to be discussed. Kazuya didn't seem to notice his family's distraction, asking Suuichi about his job and any potential girlfriends that might be coming to 'meet the family' in the near future.

After their meals had been brought out, Shiori decided she couldn't put it off any longer. "Dear," she began, a bit hesitantly, "there is something I need to discuss with you."

"Oh?" Kazuya asked, glancing at his questioningly as he took a bite of rice.

"It's about Shuichi. He..." She trailed off, shaking her head. "Do you remember that cruise we took, when Shuichi was still in university?" she asked.

Kazuya nodded.

"I'm afraid I wasn't completely honest with you about what happened back then. I've been keeping this secret for a long time."

Kazuya's brow furrowed. "Keeping what secret?" he asked.

Shiori sighed. It would be best to just get it over with. "That night that both boys disappeared, I went out on deck looking for Shuichi. What I found was a tall man with silver hair, canine ears, a silver tail and golden eyes. I was rather shocked when I watched him change into my red-haired, green-eyed son."

Kazuya blinked slowly, clearly bewildered by the random admission.

Suuichi nodded to her encouragingly and Shiori took a deep breath, plowing on ahead. "He hadn't known I was there when he changed and I confronted him," she continued. "He admitted that he was a demon. He said he had been mortally wounded nineteen years previously and his spirit had managed to escape to Ningenkai, where he took refuge in the body of my unborn child. I...reacted badly before retreating below deck, not sure how to deal with this. The next morning, both he and Suuichi were gone."

"When you found me, I told you that I had been rescued by a demon," Suuichi reminded him, picking up the story. "I went out on deck to find Shuichi, but ended up falling overboard. When I woke up, I was on a boat with a silver-haired, golden-eyed youko. He took care of me until we made it back to land. Ironically, another storm hit as we neared the shore and destroyed the boat. I don't remember much of the swim to the beach, but I know I wouldn't have made it if it wasn't for him. When I woke up the next morning, he was gone."

"When we went to pick up Suuichi-kun from the hospital, I recognized his description right away," Shiori continued. "Of course, Shuichi hadn't revealed his identity to Suuichi-kun, probably fearing a similar rejection. Instead he used his demon name, a name I had heard before from Shuichi's friends. When you left me at his apartment, I contacted those friends and they were able to help me track him down." It was a heavily edited and sugar-coated version of the events, but Shiori felt Kazuya wasn't ready for the full story. "It took quite a while to find him and I didn't know how to explain the situation without you thinking I had gone mad with grief. Afterward, Shuichi asked me to keep it a secret and, knowing your aversion to anything supernatural, I agreed."

Kazuya had stopped eating and was staring at them both, clearly not quite sure what to make of the tale. He had been completely blindsided by them ganging up on him like this and was having trouble articulating his thoughts. "So, what you're saying is," he began slowly, "Shuichi has become a demon?" His expression was doubtful and his tone clearly indicated he thought they were pulling his leg. "I suppose that's why he was too sick to join us today?"

Shiori nodded, her expression still serious. "Yesterday... No. Twenty years ago, I became very ill. There was nothing the doctors could do except make me comfortable until I died. Do you remember?"

Kazuya nodded slowly. "Yes. No one could explain it."

"My miraculous recovery was instantaneous. One minute I was on death's doorstep ringing the bell and the next I was perfectly healthy. And Shuichi, who had been at my bedside only moments before, didn't show up for at least ten minutes afterward." Shiori shook her head. "He had stayed by my side so much during my stay in the hospital that his absence at such a time was rather unusual, especially as he had been there only moments before. However, I was too overwhelmed to realize it at the time. It wasn't until after that cruise I discovered what really happened that night. I don't understand the details, but he used an item to heal me. There was a price, of course, and yesterday that price was due." She looked away, moving the food around on her plate. "One human life for one human life."

Kazuya was silent for a long moment. "Let's say I believe this... _story_ ," he said at last, trying to keep the skepticism out of his tone. "Are you telling me that Shuichi couldn't come with us today because he's _dead?_ "

Shiori hesitated, biting her lip. Suuichi answered for her. "No," he said, shaking his head firmly. Dad was going to have enough problems trying to come to terms with the situation. There was no need to cloud the issue any further than it already was. "He's weakened, but his personality is the same as it always was. The only problem is he can't change back to his human form."

Kazuya rubbed the bridge of his nose. "So, you're telling me there is a demon in house?" he asked, his tone all but shouting don't-you-know-demons-don't-exist?

Shiori and Suuichi both nodded.

Kazuya rolled his eyes, sighing. "I guess I'll just have to wait and see him for myself when we get home," he said, his tone resigned. He didn't know what they were playing at and it was very unlike Shiori to pull this kind of prank, but demons? He didn't quite know what to make of that.

Shiori closed her eyes, releasing the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Kazuya seemed willing to ignore the elephant in the room until they could provide proof to back their claim, so she turned the conversation to more benign topics. The conversation flowed surprisingly easily and in almost no time at all they found themselves headed home.

There was a subtle tension in the air as they neared the house, Shiori and Suuichi not quite sure how Kazuya would react when faced with irrefutable proof that demons existed. The fact that Shuichi was one and had hidden it for decades was just the icing on the proverbial cake.

Once inside, after they all removed their shoes in the genkan, Shiori and Suuichi followed Kazuya upstairs. The older man stopped outside Kurama's room, opening the door and staring inside for a few seconds before closing the door again. "Why is there a fox on Shuichi's bed?" he asked without turning around.

Shiori and Suuichi both blinked. "That's Shuichi," the younger man answered.

Kazuya glance over his shoulder at his son, one eyebrow raised. "I thought he was supposed to be a tall _man_ with silver hair, ears and a tail?"

Shiori realized they had neglected to mention his fox form. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "I forgot to tell you about that part. As a youko, he has two forms. One is the man we described earlier and the other is a five-tailed silver fox."

Kazuya glanced at her in surprise. "Five tails?"

Shiori nodded, stepping up and opening the door again. Kurama was sitting on the bed, watching them passively. Realizing Kazuya probably wouldn't want to approach a 'wild animal,' Shiori moved over the bed and sat down, motioning for Kurama to move to her lap. He did so and she lifted two of his tails, showing them to her husband.

Kazuya watched from the doorway as the fox draped itself over Shiori's lap, seeming as docile as any domestic dog. He carefully walked forward as Shiori held up two tails, several more still hanging over her leg. "He's...not going to bite, is he?" he couldn't help asking.

Kurama snorted, shaking his head.

"Of course not," Shiori answered, smiling slightly as she ran her through Kurama's fur. "Do you honestly believe Shuichi would bite you?"

Kazuya didn't believe that was his step-son, but he kept that comment to himself for the moment. He reached out his hand, carefully feeling around the base of the tails to see if they really were connected. He gingerly tugged on one or two, trying to see if they would fall off although he was careful not to use enough force to make the fox angry if they were truly attached. He dropped his hands after a moment, deciding it must be some sort of birth defect.

"Well?" Shiori asked at last.

Kazuya shook his head. "I don't know, Shiori," he said. "This whole thing seems...well, rather far-fetched." He didn't want to call her a liar outright, but he was having a hard time believing her story all the same.

Shiori didn't seem put off by his lack of belief. "Why don't you try asking him some questions?" she suggested. She glanced down quickly at the fox, as if she had heard something, before adding, "Yes or no questions."

"I'm gonna go...finish setting up the butsudan," Suuichi said from the doorway, casting about for an excuse to leave. As much as he wanted to watch, it felt a bit like waiting for a train to hit a car sitting on the tracks. His father's long-standing beliefs were about to be ripped to shreds and he felt the man deserved at least some privacy.

/Why don't you join him?/ Kurama suggested, climbing off Shiori's lap. /I imagine father will feel ridiculous enough asking questions of an animal without an audience./

Shiori glanced down at him again before nodding. "Right, I think I'll go help Suuichi-kun. Take as much time as you need," she said, rising to her feet. She paused next to her husband, laying one hand on his arm. "Please give him a chance," she said, squeezing his arm lightly before leaving the room.

Kazuya stared down at the fox sitting on the bed, calmly returning his gaze. "I guess it's just you and me now," he said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. "What does Shiori expect me to do?" he muttered, eyeing the fox.

Kurama looked pointedly at the chair next to the bed and back at his father.

Kazuya blinked at the unmistakable meaning in the fox' glance. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to sit for this...whatever this is," he said casually, refusing to believe there was any meaning behind the look. He reconsidered when he realized it would put him within arms-reach of the canine. "I don't suppose you'd mind backing off a bit?" he asked, not really expecting an answer.

Kurama promptly stood moved to the furthest corner of the bed from the chair, laying down with his legs stretched out to show he wouldn't be moving any time soon.

Kazuya just stared at him, eyes wide. "Right," he breathed, carefully easing himself into the chair. "So, you're supposed to be Shuichi."

Kurama nodded.

Kazuya blinked. "Shiori's son," he tried again.

Kurama nodded again.

"A red-head."

Kurama nodded a third time, although he was beginning to wonder if they'd get past the introduction at all.

"Brown eyes?"

Kurama shook his head.

"Well, you're incredibly well-trained, I'll give you that. I suppose there are certain key words you've been taught to either nod or shake your head to," he mused out loud. "Must be Suuichi-kun's doing," he muttered to himself before shaking his head. "Alright, let's see. Can you move your tails independently of each other?"

Kurama nodded.

"Good. Then let's try some multiple choice questions and see how good your training really is. Raise one tail for 'a,' two for 'b' and etc, alright?"

Kurama nodded obediently, not really surprised by his step-father's rationalization. Humans could convince themselves of the strangest things when reality didn't conform to what they thought it should be.

"First question: where did I meet Shiori? A) at the hospital where I worked, b) through a mutual friend, c) I managed the company where she was employed or d) on the subway?" Kazuya asked a bit smugly. He had phrased the question to confuse the fox, mixing up the keys words that had likely been used in its training. The smug look fell from his face when the fox waved three tails in the air.

"Alright, I suppose that one could have been luck," he admitted, shifting a bit nervously in his chair. "Next question: what does Shuichi do for a living? B) grows things, d) construction, c) mail courier or a) computer programmer?" he asked, mixing up the order. His frown deepened as two tails were raised.

"What was I considering getting for Shiori as an apology for forgetting our anniversary?" he asked leaning forward, still unable to believe this was his step-son. "Was it a dress, a ring, a pair of shoes or a necklace?"

Kurama lifted two tails.

Kazuya's jaw dropped. "What- How could you _possibly_ \- You can't be-" He shook his head firmly, sitting back on the chair. "I still don't believe it. You're supposed to be a demon who somehow became a human, right? Changed your appearance, physiology, _everything_ , and lived as a human for _thirty_ years without anyone finding out. You want me to believe you can do all that, but you can't talk in your fox form?" It wasn't a fair question and he knew it, but he was feeling decidedly out of his element.

Kurama studied him intently for several seconds before sighing. /I can,/ he stated, watching Kazuya start badly enough to almost fall off the chair as the words echoed in his mind. /However, I do not believe you are ready for this type of communication just yet./

Kazuya just stared at the fox, wide-eyed and slack-jawed for a long moment. Then, without a word, he stood and slowly walked from the room, closing the door behind him.

Kurama watched him leave, huffing out a short breath. All things considered, that could have gone much worse.

 **. . .**

The morning dawned dark and grey, rain clattering on the rooftops and sliding down the window panes. Shiori glanced outside, shaking her head as she continued chopping vegetables on the counter. "I hope the weather clears up," she commented, picking up the cutting board and sliding the vegetables into a bowl. "Otherwise, there won't be much of a festival tonight."

Suuichi nodded, flipping the fish cooking on the stove. "Yeah," he agreed, sprinkling a bit more seasoning over the fish. "Although, I'm not sure dad'll feel up to going out tonight anyway." He paused slightly, glancing over at the older woman. "I was trying to give him some space, but I didn't hear him say even one word last night. Is he doing any better this morning?" he asked.

Shiori shrugged. "He seems to be fine," she said. "Although, he shied away from the topic of your brother when I brought it up. I think he might be trying to pretend it didn't happen."

Suuichi laughed before he could stop himself. "Good luck with that."

Shiori smiled in response as she checked on the rice. "He just needs some time," she assured him, turning off the heat.

/I agree./

Shiori glanced over her shoulder at the fox walking through the doorway. "Well, Netaro finally seems to be up."

Kurama gave her a look before hopping lightly onto a chair. /I slept for two days,/ he replied drily. /Not three years./

"Netaro?" Suuichi asked.

"The story about the boy who slept for three years," Shiori stated as if that explained it.

Suuichi shook his head. "Never heard of it."

"Really? Well, there was a couple who had a son who was old enough to work in the fields, but all he did sleep from morning to night. He lay around the house like that for three years and people started calling him 'Netaro, the sleeping boy.'"

"What happened?" Suuichi asked, mildly curious.

"He pretended to be a tengu and told their rich neighbor to marry his daughter to the lazy boy next door." Shiori shrugged. "After that, he and his wife dug a trench from the faraway river to the village and the rich man gave him all the fields he had."

"That's...kind of an odd story," Suuichi said.

"Most children's tales are," Shiori agreed.

Suuichi gave the fox a long appraising look. "But, I can see the similarities between Shuichi and Netaro," he said slowly, grinning. "That bit about the trickery and deceit are definitely up his ally."

/I'm shocked you think so little of me, Suuichi-kun. I, marry a ningen? Honestly!/ Kurama turned his nose up in the air, as if the very thought of it offended him. He paused, seeming to consider something for a moment. /You, on the other hand, I'd arrange an advantageous marriage for a heartbeat./

Suuichi clutched his chest, staggering a step back as if he'd been hit. "That's low, Shuichi! I'm quite happy being a bachelor, thank you very much."

/Your bag says otherwise./ Kurama was very deliberately studying the wall.

Suuichi blinked. "What on earth does my _bag_ have to do with anything?" he asked, turning fully toward the fox.

/It smells of feminine perfume, and leaves a faint odor of the same on everything in it, although it doubt the scent is strong enough to be picked up by a human nose,/ Kurama stated nonchalantly. His gaze slid back to his brother, looking far from innocent. /Romantic getaway for two this past weekend, perhaps? Or maybe the one before?/

A bit of pink appeared on Suuichi's cheeks. "I lent it to a friend," he insisted, his eyes darting furtively to Shiori and back again.

"Suuichi-kun," Shiori began, blinking when he jumped guiltily. She raised an eyebrow, but did not comment as she reached past him and pulled the burning fish off the stove. "Would you be a dear and set the table, please?" she asked, moving the fish to a plate.

Suuichi winced slightly as he saw the blackened fish he was supposed to be watching. He nodded meekly, moving to retrieve the plates and bowls from the cupboard.

/Worry not, Suuichi-kun,/ Kurama said, still grinning. /You know I can only communicate this way with one person at a time. Mother heard only your comments, which weren't _too_ incriminating.../

Suuichi paused long enough to give his brother a glare as he passed. "Not one word to _anyone_ ," he muttered out of the side of his mouth.

Kurama's grin widened. /Of course, little brother,/ he assured him. /Your secrets are safe with me./

It wasn't long before the table was set and breakfast was ready. Shiori sent Suuichi to get Kazuya and the older man followed him into the room, his gait faltering slightly as he spotted the fox.

"Good morning...Shuichi," he said, obviously having a bit of difficulty with the words.

Kurama appreciated the struggle and effort the simple greeting took. /Good morning, father,/ he replied, bowing his head slightly.

Kazuya visibly stiffened as he heard the voice in his mind, but gave a jerky nod of his head. They all took their seats, the older man clearly disturbed by the fox sitting at the table, but managing to hold his tongue. They began eating and Kazuya couldn't help but stare as the fox carefully ate the fish on his plate, much the same as Suuichi had watched him the previous morning. Finally, he shook his head and began his own meal, determinedly _not_ looking at the canine.

The rain pouring outside seemed overly loud in the silence. Shiori and Suuichi exchanged a look. It was promising to be a very long day.

 **. . .**

The day was about as awkward as Kurama expected it to be. Kazuya had spent the majority of it on the computer in his room, coming out for meals but only speaking when he was addressed directly. Kurama had a good idea of what he was looking up online, though he could not guess whether the abundant material on demons would help or hinder the situation. Hopefully, Kazuya would remember that not everything found on the web was true.

The rain had continued on through the night, but was finally starting to ease up around noon the following day, stopping altogether by 3:00. Kurama sat in the windowsill, an ear flicked back to listen to Shiori and Suuichi moving about the kitchen as he stared out the rain-streaked window. Although he was willing to give Kazuya as much time as he needed to process everything, perhaps some alone time with Shiori would expedite the process. If nothing else, she could set him straight on some of the more ridiculous rumors about his kind.

Lightly hopping to the floor, Kurama stretched before trotting into the kitchen. Suuichi was slicing cucumbers at the counter while Shiori was rinsing rice in a colander in the sink. She looked up at the sound of his claws clicking on the tile floor.

"Hello, Shuichi," she greeted with a smile. "How was your nap?"

/Fine, thank you,/ he answered, hopping up onto a stool. /I think I might take Suuichi-kun and head down to the festival./

Shiori stopped what she was doing, turning to give him her full attention. "Are you sure that's wise?" she asked, the worry in her tone making Suuichi look up at her curiously. "They haven't caught that demon hunter yet, have they?"

/No, they haven't,/ Kurama admitted. /However we live in a sizable city and it will likely be quite crowded, given the rain yesterday and today. All of the previous murders took place in remote locations with no witnesses nearby. Even if I do run into him, I'll be fine as long as I stay around other people./

Shiori bit her lip, turning back to the sink. She couldn't force him to stay, but going out in his weakened state seemed like he was just asking for trouble.

/Would it make you feel any better if I promised to make an effort not to lose the police surveillance team waiting for me outside?/ Kurama asked.

"Are you saying the police have been watching you?" Shiori asked, turning back around. "What on earth for?"

"Uh, not to interrupt, but what's all this about demon hunters and police?" Suuichi asked, setting down his knife as his eyes flicked between the two.

/I'll explain everything in a moment,/ Kurama said, directing the words to Suuichi as he met his gaze before turning his attention back to Shiori. /I don't know why, but they have been following me since Saturday, as both a fox and a human. I assume they are part of the team trying to track down the hunter, so if anything should happen while I'm out and about, I'm certain they would step in./

Shiori shook her head. "Why the sudden urge to go out? You've never minded missing a festival before."

/Aside from a touch of cabin fever?/ he asked, meeting and holding her gaze. /I think you and father need to sit down and have a long talk./

"But you don't need to leave for that," Shiori protested.

/Given some of the outlandish rumors I'm sure he's been immersing himself in online, I think it would be better if I was not here,/ he stated seriously.

Shiori sighed. "Alright, Shuichi. I'll talk to him while you're gone."

/Thank you, mother./ Kurama turned his attention to his younger brother, who was leaning against the counter with his arms folded across his chest, watching the fox. /Would you like to go with me to the festival?/ he asked.

Suuichi shook his head. "Uh-uh. I want the explanation first. What's all this about a demon hunter and the police?"

/A hunter has been killing demons the past several weeks and the police have been following me since Saturday,/ Kurama explained, hopping down from the stool and walking out of the kitchen.

Suuichi followed him, heading up the stairs. "Why?"

/Perhaps they think I am the culprit,/ Kurama suggested dismissively, stopping in front of the guest room. /Now, do you wish to accompany me to the festival or not?/

"I'm sure you just went over this with mom, but why are you going out of your way to make a target of yourself? I mean, you're still recovering, right?" he asked.

/Do you realize I haven't stepped one foot outside in four days?/

Suuichi raised an eyebrow. "So you're willing to risk your life because you're bored?"

/Partly, though I do not believe the risk to be so great,/ Kurama explained. /Even if the hunter appears and the police fail to apprehend him, I am confident I can escape should it come to that./

"You're going to go even if I refuse, aren't you?"

Kurama gave him a canine grin, tongue lolling out of his mouth.

Suuichi snorted, shaking his head even as his lips quirked in a smile. "Alright, I'll go. Just let me get changed first," he said, opening the door to the guest room and stepping inside.

Kurama stood, heading back toward the stairs. /I'll await you downstairs./

 **. . .**

 **To Be Continued**

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	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

The sun had dropped below the western horizon, a few stars becoming visible in the darkening sky. The normal street lamps that usually lit the street were dark, replaced by thousands of paper lanterns strung on wires. The soft glow illuminated the hundreds of stalls, all tightly packed together on both sides of the street with bright banners advertising their wares, although the smell alone would have been enough. Karaage, yakisoba, roasted corn still on the cob, takoyaki and much more perfumed the air with their tantalizing aromas, drawing many customers to their counters. The people filling the streets were dressed in a mixture of traditional and modern clothes. Women wearing kimono walked hand in hand with men dressed in jeans and a t-shirt and vice verse.

There were also many game booths set up. A few teenagers were crouching around a low table filled with water, armed with thin paper scoops. Goldfish swam around in the water, darting to and fro as the teens tried to catch them without tearing the paper. Another stall had a similar water table, although this one was filled with brightly colored balls and the water was flowing quickly in a circle around the table. A few people were trying to collect as many of the balls as they could with a long-handled scoop, also made out of paper. Further down was a cork-gun target range. A number of items were lined up on two three-tiered tables that were spinning slowly at the back of the stall. Several people were leaning over the counter at the front of the stall, trying to get the gun as close to their targets as possible before shooting at the items in an attempt to knock them down.

Suuichi leaned forward until he was almost lying on the table, holding his cork gun at arm's length. He was dressed in a gray yukata, a black pattern of bamboo decorating the sleeves and coming up his right side. His sandals scrapped softly against the concrete of the sidewalk as he moved his foot back for better balance. With one eye closed to help his aim, he willed his arms to remain steady and pulled the trigger. There was a _pop_ as the cork flew out of the gun, clipping the ear of a plastic panda. The toy wobbled back and forth a few times before settling, still upright. Suuichi groaned, straightening back up. "That was my last cork," he grumbled, stretching his back.

Kurama was next to him, standing on his hind legs with his front paws resting on the counter so he could see the targets. /I don't think you're ever going to hit that phone case, much less knock it over,/ he said.

Suuichi gave him a disgruntled look. "Thanks for the encouragement."

Kurama met the look with his approximation of a shrug. /You have been trying to hit it for half an hour and your aim has not improved at all,/ he pointed out. /You never were very good with guns./

"We haven't been here that long," Suuichi argued, ignoring the odd looks he was getting from the people around him for carrying on a seemingly one-sided conversation with a fox.

/You have played this game twenty-three times and have fired one hundred sixty-one corks, clipping the wrong item seventy-three times although you have yet to actually knock _anything_ down,/ Kurama stated, yawning widely. /But who's counting?/

Suuichi chuckled, laying the cork gun back on the table. "Alright, alright," he said, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "We can go do something else. How about something to eat? I think they're selling ikayaki a little ways back up the street," he said, picking up his messenger bag and slipping the strap over his head.

Kurama nodded his consent, trotting along at Suuichi's heels as they headed toward the food stand. Suuichi purchased one for each of them, holding the second stick low enough for the fox to pull off pieces of the grilled squid as they casually continued down the street.

They heard the music before they reached the plaza where bon odori was being performed. A large, two-tiered wooden scaffold had been erected in the center of the area, the larger bottom platform going all the way around the base. Lines of paper lanterns had been run from the top of the structure to the buildings on all sides, illuminating the square. A large drum was sitting on the higher platform of the yagure with one man beating out a rhythm while three others stood behind him. Every few minutes they traded places, a fresh drummer taking over. They timed the switch perfectly, not allowing even the slightest hitch in the cadence. The lower tier had a line of women, all wearing dark blue kimono with a lighter floral print, dancing around the base of the higher platform. The crowd danced with them, forming three or four concentric circles on the concrete around the yagure.

The brothers stood to the side, watching for a moment or two until Kurama noticed Suuichi tapping his foot to the beat. A glance up revealed his head was also bobbing to the rhythm, although the movements were slight enough that Kurama doubted Suuichi was even aware he was doing it.

/Why don't you join in?/ he suggested.

Suuichi shrugged, not taking his eyes off the people dancing. "I don't really feel like it," he lied.

/I take it you've developed a nervous tick, then?/

Suuichi blinked, looking down at his brother. "What?"

Kurama shook his head. /Bon odori isn't preformed that often,/ he reminded him. /You should make the most of it./

"Yeah, but I can't just leave you alone," he said, staring a bit wistfully at the lines of dancers.

The fox blinked. /You _do_ realize that I am an adult, correct?/ he asked. /And, I have been around them and even _been_ a human longer than you have. I think I can handle myself at one festival./

"Yeah, but that was before-" Suuichi cut himself off, biting his lip. "You hadn't just _died_ ," he continued in a much lower tone.

Kurama chuckled, shaking his head again. /Physically, I am perfectly fine,/ he assured his brother. /I told you, my depleted youki won't be an issue unless I try to manipulate any plants. I'll be alright, so you should go and join the dance./

Suuichi was wavering. "Are you sure?" he asked.

Kurama nodded. /It's getting late,/ he said. /I'm not planning on staying for much longer anyway. Go./

Suuichi hesitated for a few seconds more before nodding firmly. "Alright," he said. "I guess I'll see you at home later."

Kurama nodded, watching as Suuichi made his way to the people dancing and joined in their ranks. He glanced around for a higher vantage point, spotting a tree on the other side of the circle of dancers. He made his way over to it, skirting the edge of the crowd. Most of the lower branches had been cleared away, but it looked like there were enough ridges and bumps in the rough bark of the trunk for him to be able to get up it. He backed up a few paces and ran at the tree, the momentum helping him seemingly run up the trunk to the lowest branch, about six feet off the ground. It afforded him a much better view of the plaza and he was able to pick Taro out of the crowd. He was some twenty to thirty feet away and, although he never seemed to look at the fox, he casually moved through the crowd to get closer to the tree. The detective had been following him for the last hour or two and Kurama wondered once again why he in particular was under surveillance.

Ignoring Taro for the moment, Kurama turned his attention back to the dance. The movements were fluid and graceful and there was something almost mesmerizing about watching such a large group of people move more or less in sync with each other. All the dancers moved in unison, sweeping their hands twice to the right as they stepped in that direction and then repeating the motion to the left. They took another step forward, raising the right hand and tossing the wrist as if throwing something over the shoulder while the left fingers lightly rested on the right elbow. The group took another step, mirroring the motion on the left side. Then they all took two steps back, raising first the right hand as if looking at something in the sky and then the left. This was followed by two steps forward, hands held up as if they were pushing against something. Finally, they put their hands together, palms down, and swept them apart as they bent their knees slightly. The group straightened up, clapped three times with the tempo of the drum and began the set again.

Kurama watched for a few minutes, temped to join in himself despite the fact his fox form wasn't suited to ningen dancing. He froze as he felt someone watching him intently, the bloodlust prickling the fur on the back of his neck. His eyes surreptitiously scanned the crowd, trying to locate source of his unease. A group of schoolgirls were laughing together over there; a mother was trying to calm a crying child who had dropped his choco banana on the ground; a group of tourists were taking pictures and videos with their phones; an older couple was sitting on a bench, sharing a large cup of shaved ice... Kurama's eyes roamed over them all, systematically assessing and dismissing the large crowd before him.

He paused as his gazed landed on a young man with short dark hair, heading unerringly for the tree. He was dressed in a red yukata with a dark print, an oddly long and slender bag slung across his back. He wasn't overly tall, though he was broad-shouldered and barrel-chested and easily cleared a path as he stalked toward the tree. His smoldering eyes were locked onto the fox as the corner of his lip turned up in a malicious grin. There was no doubt this was a predator and Kurama knew he had found the serial killer that had been hunting demons.

The fox quickly glanced away, not yet ready to alert the human that he was onto him. He followed the murderer's progress in his peripheral vision, lightly jumping down when he had almost reached the tree. There were too many people here so he decided to head to the nearby park, a couple blocks away. He trotted up the busy street, using the crowd as cover for as long as possible. The demon hunter wouldn't dare make a scene with so many witnesses around.

It was several minutes before they reached the end of the line of stalls, leaving the festivities behind them. Kurama was carefully regulating his pace, trotting slowly enough so as not to lose the ningen but still fast enough that he was just out of range of any attack that might come from behind. He kept his eyes forward as he heard something being pulled out of the bag, pretending not to notice he was being followed.

They were almost at the park now, the line of trees visible as they turned the corner. The lane was completely deserted, a stark contrast to the festival they had just left behind. The ningen quickened his pace, apparently deciding he'd waited long enough. Kurama matched it, easily keeping three or four strides ahead as he crossed the street and jumped lightly over the short stone wall. He headed to the heart of the copse of trees, not wanting to risk any ningen inadvertently walking in on the scene.

"Oi, what's your hurry, little fox?" the hunter called behind him, giving up all pretense of not following him. "Are you lost? Bet _I_ could point you in the right direction..."

Kurama ignored the taunt, slipping through the dense clumps of undergrowth with ease while making the hunter fight his way through or risk losing his prey. He really only needed to keep the human occupied until Taro saw enough to make an arrest, although he didn't relish the thought of relying on someone who disliked him so much. Still, he felt confident in his ability to either out-run the murderer or conceal himself in the undergrowth should the detective fail to play his part.

Coming upon a break in the trees, Kurama was startled to find another ningen sitting on a bench some distance away, a lone lamppost casting its pale light over the area. He was even more shocked to realize it was Kazuya sitting there. What on earth was he doing here? And where was Shiori? Was she safe at home, or was she here as well? He hesitated, taking a few precious seconds to glance around, not seeing anyone else in the nearby area. Perhaps his stepfather had come out here by himself after all. But why?

A whistling sound through the air drew the fox' attention and he tried to jump out of the way, berating himself for letting his worry distract him. He wasn't able to move fast enough and he yelped in pain as the wooden bokken connected solidly with his ribs. He was thrown to the side, smacking into a tree trunk a couple feet away and falling helplessly to the ground, dazed.

"I, Yuudai, will send you to the afterlife, little fox," the demon hunter continued, slowly advancing on the kitsune. He grinned as he watched it struggle defiantly back to its feet, raising the bokken over his head. "I'll even light a candle for you tomorrow night to guide your black soul to the other side!"

"Hold it right there!"

Yuudai stopped, glancing at the new voice behind him. Taro was standing there, his right hand extended in the shape of a gun while his left hand supported it. "I'm placing you under arrest for murder," the detective said.

Yuudai laughed. "Am I supposed to be afraid?" he asked snidely. "It may be dark out here, but even _I_ can see you don't have a real gun!"

"It's real alright," Taro stated. "Lower your weapon and back away from the fox."

Yuudai's lips turned up in a cruel grin. "No." He raised the bokken once more, preparing to strike.

"Rei gun!"

A blue ball of light shot through the trees, almost blindingly bright in the shadows of the night. Yuudai turned slightly, his eyes widening as the energy raced toward him. He closed his eyes and raised one arm instinctively to protect himself from the attack. The orb of light stopped just before it hit him, seeming to bounce off an invisible shield and shot back to where it had originated.

Taro cursed as his own attack headed straight for him, futilely throwing himself to the ground. He wasn't quite fast enough and the rei gun caught his right shoulder, the force of the impact tossing him back several feet.

"Well, what do you know? Turns out there're _two_ of you," Yuudai stated, grinning at the fallen detective. "You're disguise is quite good- I never would have pegged you for one of the black hearted devils!"

Kurama's eyes were narrowed, studying Yuudai's aura intently. He had been wrong. This ningen wasn't taking control of the demons' youki and using against them- he had somehow managed to make their own attacks bounce back at them. Furthermore, the reiki surged and ebbed sporadically, responding to emotion rather than conscious direction. It seemed this ningen was just as untaught in energy manipulation as any of his previous victims. He was lucky he hadn't run across any highly trained demons. A trick like that would be all but useless in an actual fight.

"Hey, what's going on over there?" Kazuya called, rising to his feet and striding quickly toward them. He couldn't hear much from where he was and could see even less, but it was obvious they were doing something they weren't supposed to be.

Yuudai turned toward the new voice. "This doesn't concern you, old man!"

/Stay there!/ Kurama called urgently.

Kazuya stopped, blinking in surprise. "Shuichi?" he asked, squinting slightly as he eyes adjusted to the darkness. "Is that you?"

/Stay where you are and do _nothing_ to draw his attention!/ Kurama continued. /Please!/ He spared a glance at his stepfather, relieved when Kazuya nodded hesitantly.

"Shuichi? No, I'm- argh!" Yuudai's introduction was cut off with a scream as sharp teeth sank deeply into the muscles of his left calf. He swung his bokken down, but the fox had already darted away, pausing just out of reach. "You're gonna pay for that, you little rodent!" he yelled, lunging at the canine.

Kurama nimbly avoided him, moving a little farther away and flicking his tails tauntingly when the ningen stumbled because of his injured leg and the hidden rocks and tree roots covering the ground. /I'm going to lead him away,/ Kurama explained to Kazuya. /While he's distracted with me, you need to get out of here./

"Shuichi-"

/No, listen to me!/ Kurama said sternly, cutting him off. /He is a murderer who has killed several demons over the past few months. He hasn't killed any humans that we know of, but I'm not willing to risk it!/ He avoided another swing of the bokken, steadily moving away from his step-father. /Go! Now!/

Taro pushed himself back to his feet, noticeably favoring his right arm. He could see Kurama was on the defensive, unable to get close enough to attack as he was slowly driven back into the trees. Moving as quietly as he could, Taro quickly circled around so he was behind Yuudai and raised his hand for another shot. Yuudai had been able to deflect it when he saw it coming, but what if it took the killer by surprise?

Kurama's eyes widened when he felt the detective's energy gathering and saw the flickering light dancing on the tree trunks. He looked past Yuudai to see Taro and, further back but still in the direct line of fire, Kazuya. /Taro, no!/ he cried, already knowing it was too late to stop him.

"Rei gun!"

The blast of energy went hurling through the air, aiming at Yuudai's back. Taro's jaw dropped in shock when his attack was bounced back at him again, the surprise robbing him of any chance he might have had to react. Suddenly, there was something in front of him, taking full power of the blast head-on.

The resulting explosion of energy was blindingly bright, forcing Taro to cover his eyes. When the light died down, he lowered his arm and stared. There, with his crossed arms held up in front of him protectively- and not looking any worse for the wear, despite having taken Taro's most powerful attack head-on -stood Youko Kurama. The demon slowly straightened up to his full height, letting his arms fall to his sides and Taro couldn't help but gape. There wasn't even so much as a scratch on him.

Kurama couldn't _believe_ the amount of energy it had taken to assume his youko form. He hadn't felt _this_ weak since he was just a _kit!_ He felt himself swaying slightly and he closed his eyes, focusing on finding his center. Taro's mistake had cost the demon dearly and frustration burned through him. Kurama drew on the emotion, squeezing everything he could from it before opening his eyes and glaring at Yuudai. He shifted his stance slightly, folding his arms across his chest. It served the double purpose of making him look more intimidating while hiding how badly his hands were shaking.

Yuudai didn't look at all phased by the transformation. "So, the demon finally shows itself."

"Normally, I don't bother sullying my hands in dealing with vermin like you," Kurama said, his deep voice low. "However, you are starting to irritate me. And that is not a wise thing to do."

"I'm not afraid of you," Yuudai boasted, limping back over to stand in front of the youko. "I'm blessed by the gods. You're evil powers can't touch me." He raised his bokken, gripping the handle with both hands. "My mission is clear- to kill demons like you!"

Kurama caught the wooden sword with one hand as it descended, the ningen's might nothing compared his demon body's strength. Koenma had classified him as an S-rank demon years ago and one did not reach that level of power without increasing physical strength and endurance as well. Bereft of energy though he may be, no mere ningen could hope to match him in brute strength. "Blessed by the gods?" Kurama sneered. "Hardly. You have a higher than average amount of reiki and you've unconsciously learned to tap into it, but that is all. You'll need something far greater than this _toy_ if you intend to challenge _me_." He broke the wooden blade with a quick chopping motion, disarming the ningen before lashing out with his foot to drive home the difference in their power.

Kurama's foot caught Yuudai in the stomach, sending him rolling across the ground before smacking into a tree. He gasped in pain, arms wrapping protectively around his midsection as his wide eyes lifted to the tall youko, clearly not having anticipated coming across a demon as strong as this. The realization of how utterly defenseless he was against his latest would-be victim struck him with startling clarity, blood draining from his face as the silver haired demon slowly took one deliberate step toward him and then another. The rapidly growing fear in his chest robbed him of his voice, his mouth moving soundlessly as he tried to plead for mercy.

"Don't tell me you're giving up already," Kurama taunted, hoping the slight breathlessness in his tone would be mistaken for anticipation. He could feel sweat dripping down his face as he struggled to hold this form, grateful the poor lighting masked how badly off he really was. He took another halting step forward, the strain making his voice come out harsh and low. "After all, the true fun lies in the _chase_. I'll even give you a head start."

Yuudai stared into those cold eyes, seeing nothing but pain and suffering within the amber depths. Already knowing his death had been sealed the moment he attacked the fox, he still turned and ran as fast as his injured leg would allow in a desperate attempt to escape his fate.

Kurama breathed a silent sigh of relief, letting the wooden shaft still clutched in his hand fall to the ground. One down, one to go.

Taro was speechless. He'd never seen Kurama's youko side before, nor seen him so intimidating. Though he did not raise his voice, there was a definite edge that was missing in its human counterpart and, for the first time, Taro realized he had absolutely no way to stop the fox. He scowled at the demon's words, not liking the insinuation.

Taro watched as the human fled and Kurama simply turned away, no doubt intending to savor the chase as he had said. "I can't let you kill him," he stated, grateful his voice didn't waver. His hand slipped into his pocket and closed around the mirror that would allow him to contact Botan, though he didn't know what help she could offer from Reikai.

"Then perhaps you should arrest him before he kills anyone else," Kurama retorted, his voice still pitched low. He turned slightly, amber eyes glaring at the detective responsible for his current predicament.

Taro studied the youko for a few precious seconds, trying to decide whether the words were genuine or if this was a ploy to get him out of the way so the demon could have his fun. He blinked, only then noticing the beads of sweat glistening on the youko's face and the almost panting breaths the other was trying to hide. Had he been bluffing?

Kurama's eyes hardened, a flicker of anger burning within him when the detective didn't take the hint. He couldn't last much longer. "I suggest you get after him," he grated out, letting the anger color his tone. "I'm tired of cleaning up your messes. Renegade humans fall under _your_ purview, Detective. Not mine."

Taro returned the glare, the spark of concern he'd felt for the youko easily snuffed out. "Just make sure you remember that," he said, running off in the direction Yuudai had disappeared in.

Kurama's whole body was shaking with the strain of maintaining his demon form. As soon as Taro was gone, he closed his eyes and let go, falling limply to the ground.

Kazuya had watched the whole exchange with wide eyes, not quite sure what to make of the rapid turn of events. However when he saw the youko fall, he found himself running forward without conscious thought to do so and knelt at his side. The demon had reverted back to a fox, his eyes closed and chest heaving as he panted heavily. "Shuichi?" Kazuya asked hesitantly. "Are you alright?"

The fox didn't reply, or give any indication that he had heard the question at all.

Cautiously, Kazuya lifted the small body in his arms, eyes widening with panic when he realized Shuichi was unconscious. What on earth had happened? Although he had been present for the entire confusing and frightening confrontation- definitely a side of Shuichi he _hadn't_ seen before -he still had no idea what was going on. However, as one of those men had admitted to being a murderer after demons, it was probably a good idea for Shuichi to _not_ be here if he came back.

What if the murderer _had_ done something to Shuichi? Kazuya bit his lip, staring down at the quivering body in his arms. The conversation had seemed to indicate that Shuichi had the upper hand, but this couldn't be normal, could it? And what had been the cause of that pained yelp he'd heard earlier? Kazuya shook his head, instinctively cradling the limp form to his chest as he rose to his feet. Right now, all that mattered was getting Shuichi somewhere safe. He could figure out the rest later.

 **. . .**

 **To Be Continued**

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	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Kurama awoke to someone gently poking and prodding his body, inexperienced hands seemingly checking him for injuries. He bit back a pained whimper when the fingers pressed against his bruised ribs, feigning unconsciousness. He discreetly scented the air, assessing where he was and who was with him.

"Do you know what's wrong with him?" Kazuya's voice asked, sounding a little anxious.

The hands moved away, the rustle of cloth indicating their owner had sat back. "He doesn't seem to be injured," a new voice said, sounding a bit bewildered. "What happened?"

Kurama relaxed marginally, recognizing the voice and finally matching the scent to a name. It was Enomoto, Kazuya's boss. Though why the fox was lying on a pillow in what he assumed to be Enomoto's home was still unclear.

"I...I don't know," Kazuya said uncertainly. "He-he just collapsed."

The words triggered Kurama's memory of the confrontation and the waste of what little youki he had at his disposal. He definitely would have some choice words for Taro later.

"There...wasn't anyone else there?" Enomoto asked, sounding even more nervous than usual.

Kazuya hesitated, not sure how much he should tell his boss. Kurama answered for him, directing the words to Enomoto. /There was,/ he stated as he opened his eyes, shifting more onto his stomach so he could raise his head while still lying down. /But neither were in a position to follow us here./

Enomoto jerked in surprise at the voice, turning toward the fox. He was an older gentleman, sandy-colored curls styled into a small afro that covered his stubby horns. Wide, rectangular pupils were hidden behind lightly tinted glasses, although there wasn't much he could do to hide his broad- and flat -nose. The goat demon looked relieved to hear Kurama's voice, although the expression quickly turned to apprehension as his gaze slid to Kazuya. "You're awake- that's good," he said, trying to figure out what he could and couldn't say in front of his human employee.

/I'll take care of Kazuya,/ Kurama stated. /He is aware of my identity, though he likely has many questions. Would you mind if we stayed for awhile longer?/

"Not at all," Enomoto said, bowing slightly to the fox. "I'll make some tea."

/Just water for me,/ Kurama requested, glancing around the room. It was a small one-room apartment, a short table occupying the middle of the floor with a few cushions strewn about. A sliding screen took up most of one wall, the partially open shoji revealing the closet behind it. A refrigerator, sink, stove and door lined the wall next to it, a couple pairs of shoes indicating it lead outside. Kurama himself was lying on a folded futon next to the table, Kazuya sitting at his side.

The ningen blinked at his boss in surprise, not having anticipated that he would know the demon side of his stepson. "Uh..." He hesitated, floundering for words as his eyes darted between the two.

/Enomoto knows who I am,/ Kurama stated, directing his mental voice to Kazuya. He refrained from smiling when the ningen jumped slightly, still not used to telepathic communication. /You may speak freely in front of him./

Kazuya turned his full attention to the fox, ignoring Enomoto as he filled a kettle with water. "Are you alright?" he asked, eyes roaming over the fox' body for any injury he might have missed. "They didn't hurt you, did they?"

Kurama shook his head. /I'm fine,/ he assured his stepfather. /A little tired, but no worse for the wear./

Kazuya nodded, relief flicking across his face before his eyes slid to his boss, who was pulling a small tin out of a cupboard. "Um, how does he know you?" he asked, jerking a thumb at Enomoto.

Kurama ducked his head slightly. /I pulled some strings when you started looking for a part-time job,/ he admitted. /Although I managed to work out an arrangement with your previous boss, it was simply easier to have you hired by someone who already answers to me./

"Arrangement? Answers to you?" Kazuya repeated, looking completely lost. "What on earth are you talking about?"

/You take various trips two to three times a year. I wanted to assure you would be granted the time off every time,/ Kurama answered.

"But, those were-" Kazuya stopped, closing his eyes as the realization struck him. "Shiori," he finished softly.

/Yes,/ Kurama affirmed. /Mother would start dropping hints at my request and Enomoto would assure you had as much time off as I needed./

"For what?" Kazuya asked, eyes focusing on the fox again. "What did you need us out of town for?"

/Merely as a safety precaution,/ Kurama replied. /Any time there was a rogue demon or hunter in town that targeted humans./

There was a long pause as Kazuya processed that. Shuichi outright stated he'd been manipulating his life for _years_. The ningen thought back over the many, _many_ trips they'd taken, wondering why it never occurred to him how odd it was to have such an accommodating boss. At least he now knew why Shiori always had a hard time telling Shuichi goodbye- she had known her son was staying behind to fight demons. "Like tonight?" he asked after a moment, remembering Shiori had been hinting she wanted to go out of town last week. "Is that hunter why Shiori was pushing for another vacation?"

Kurama shifted slightly, a couple tails swaying lightly where they hung over the edge of the mattress. /Yes, I asked her to do so until I was able to verify what I was dealing with,/ he answered. /This one was only targeting demons, but his inability to distinguish demons from humans makes him dangerous to both./ The fox shook his head. /Unfortunately I did not realize that until tonight, else I would have sent the both of you away earlier./

Kazuya nodded slowly, still trying to wrap his head around everything.

/Would you mind telling me how we came to be here?/ Kurama asked, glancing around the apartment. /I'm afraid I don't remember what happened after Taro left the park./

"Oh, um..." Kazuya scratched the back of his head. "Well after you collapsed, I figured it wasn't a good idea to stay there in case those men came back, so I took you and started heading home. I met Enomoto along the way and after he got a good look at you, he insisted I come to his apartment because it was closer, saying we needed to get off the streets." He paused turning to look at his boss, who was trying to look busy with something in the sink. "You knew what happened, didn't you?" Kazuya asked. "That's why you kept looking over your shoulder as if you were expecting us to be followed."

"I don't know what happened, but I can guess," Enomoto hedged, risking a peek at the fox before quickly turning back to the sink. "I assumed that if Kurama-sama had been injured that badly, then there was good chance he'd confronted the hunter."

Kazuya blinked. "Kurama...sama?" he repeated, confused.

Enomoto let out a horrified bleat as he ducked his head back over the sink. It would be so much easier to know what Kurama had told Kazuya if he could actually hear the entire conversation!

/I thank you for coming to our aid,/ Kurama said, his tone indicating the goat wasn't in trouble.

Enomoto relaxed slightly as he nodded, but didn't turn back around. He didn't want to risk any more blunders should he be pulled into the conversation.

Kazuya was still waiting for an explanation. /My original name,/ Kurama stated, drawing his stepfather's attention back to himself, /is Youko Kurama. I am the demon lord of this area./

"Demon lord?" Kazuya repeated.

/Yes. Basically, all demons living in this city must abide my rules or answer to me./

"Answer to..." He blinked, his gaze going back to his boss. "But, didn't you say that-" He cut himself off, wide eyes going back to the fox. "You don't mean _he's_ a demon...right?"

Kurama nodded.

Kazuya sat back, glazed eyes staring at the wall. If Shuichi turning out to be a demon had turned his world upside-down, all these new revelations were dancing about on the shattered pieces of his reality.

A timer went off, indicating the tea was done. Pouring two cups, Enomoto brought them to the table, setting one in front of Kazuya and placing a small bowl of water on the futon next to the fox. Having run out of things to occupy himself with in the kitchen, he nervously knelt down opposite of Kazuya at the table, placing himself at Kurama's side.

There was an awkward silence for a moment or two, before Enomoto cleared his throat. Kazuya wasn't saying anything or looking at the fox, so the goat demon figured it was safe to assume they weren't talking. "Um, about that time off..." he hedged, still not sure how much Kurama had told his stepfather.

Kazuya looked up, thinking the question had been directed at him. He blinked when he noticed Enomoto was looking to Shuichi for an answer, belatedly remembering the earlier part of the conversation. He shook his head. This was going to take some getting used to.

/It is likely Taro has apprehended the murderer by now,/ Kurama murmured pensively. The detective was relatively uninjured whereas Yuudai had a rather nasty bite through the muscles on his calf. It should have been an easy matter for Taro to catch him, but the detective had wasted vital seconds threatening the fox... /Watch the news tomorrow,/ he said at length. /If they announce the serial killer has been caught, consider it cancelled. If not.../ There was a chance, given the nature of the crimes, Reikai would deal with him instead of leaving it to the ningen justice system. /...I'll be in touch./

Enomoto nodded, avoiding Kazuya's eyes as he quickly turned his attention back to his tea.

They finished their drinks in silence, Enomoto offering more before taking the dishes to the sink. Kurama stood and stretched, still feeling bone-tired but knowing the longer they delayed, the more worried Shiori would be, especially if Suuichi had already made it home. /Thank you again for your assistance,/ he said, directing the words to Enomoto, /but I believe it is time we headed home./

Enomoto quickly turned around, bowing to the fox. "No, the pleasure was mine."

Sensing it was time to go, Kazuya pushed himself back to his feet, properly thanking their host before following the fox out the door. He studied the small creature as they headed home at a leisurely pace, his mind flashing back to the events earlier that night. "Are you sure you're alright?" he asked hesitantly. "I can carry you if you need me to."

/I am a bit tired, but I'll be fine,/ Kurama assured him. /I doubt we'll run into any more trouble tonight, but if we do, I cannot afford to show any weakness./ He sighed, shaking his head. /I was able to call Yuudai's bluff before, but I haven't yet regained the stamina to sustain my youko form, so transforming like that- even if only for a moment -is very draining. I cannot do it again./

Kazuya bit his lip, not liking how vulnerable Shuichi really was- especially since that hunter was still out here somewhere. The realization made the familiar city street suddenly seem that more sinister, every shadow hiding a danger just waiting for them to look away before it pounced. He actually jumped at a sudden noise only to berate himself when he realized it came from the festival still going on several streets away. "I suppose it would be difficult to fight something several times your size, especially as a fox," Kazuya said, trying to make any conversation to fill the oppressive silence.

/Not as much as you might think,/ Kurama stated, a touch of irritation coloring his tone. /I could have led Yuudai away and escaped from him easily enough had not Taro interfered./

Kazuya blinked, realizing he still had no idea what had taken place in the park. "Uh, what _did_ happen, exactly?" he asked.

Kurama was silent, debating where to begin. /Tonight specifically, or the events leading up to it as well?/ he asked after a moment.

"Uh, both, I guess?"

/The first man- Yuudai, as he introduced himself -has been hunting demons in the area for the past few months. He saw me at the festival and followed me to the park. I was trying to lead him somewhere no one would be caught in the crossfire,/ he explained before pausing as he turned to look up at his stepfather. /What were you doing out there, anyway?/

"Shiori and I sat down and talked...about a lot of things," he admitted, rubbing his neck. "I needed to clear my head afterward and went for a walk. Everyone was down at the festival, so the park seemed like a good place for some quiet contemplation."

/I'm not sure if you ending up there was due to your poor luck or mine,/ Kurama said, shaking his head as he huffed out a sardonic laugh. /Anyway, the second man- Taro -is the Spirit Detective, and it's his responsibility to take care of any demons that get out of hand in Ningenkai or, in this case, humans that are targeting demons. His regular job is that of a sergeant with the police and he has been investigating the murders. He is aware of what I am and has had someone following me all week./

"Why follow you?" Kazuya asked. His mind flashed back to the tall form standing in the shadows of the tress, the youko's voice cold and taunting as he stalked his prey. "Are you considered a threat?"

/Taro has no love for demons in general, or myself in particular,/ Kurama remarked offhandedly. /I _had_ thought he believed I had something to do with the murders. Now, I think he was using me as bait, thought why he thought I'd be the next target is beyond me./

Kazuya's brow darkened in disapproval, his sandals scrapping against the sidewalk as they turned the corner onto another street. It didn't matter if someone was a demon or not, no one should be used as _bait_ without first knowing all the risks and safety measures that were in place, should the worst happen. It was downright dishonorable to do so without the person in question even knowing he was in danger in the first place.

/Anyway, Taro's boss came up with an attack he calls 'rei gun,' and it has become a signature move for all who hold the title of 'spirit detective.' That's what Taro used right before you called out at the park. Yuudai, though untrained in energy manipulation, had somehow managed to create a reflective barrier with his reiki, which reflects any energy attacks back at the caster. Taro's attack was, of course, thrown back at him and I attempted to lure Yuudai away./

"And that's when you told me to leave?"

/Yes. Taro took advantage of my distraction, slipping behind Yuudai and firing his rei gun again./ Kurama growled softly, his lips curling slightly. /I can only assume he was hoping for the element of surprise, though how he thought he could manage that with a glowing ball of light in an area that dark is beyond me./

"What?" Kazuya asked, confused. "What glowing ball of light?"

Kurama blinked up at him. /You didn't see- oh, that's right,/ he murmured, more to himself although Kazuya still heard the words. /I had forgotten reiki can only be seen by those with a heightened spiritual awareness. I can see now why the events were so confusing to you./ He shook his head, continuing on. /By focusing all of his reiki on his index finger, Taro can direct it as he would a gun and 'fire' a ball of energy at his opponent,/ he explained. /It is a rather flashy attack and looked like a ball of light hurtling through the air to my eyes./

"That...doesn't sound like something you should use for a surprise attack in the dark," Kazuya agreed. "So Taro fired this 'rei gun' at, uh, the other guy. I'm guessing it didn't work?"

Kurama snorted. /It reflected back at him, same as the first. However, I was forced to step in and save him, which necessitated switching to my youko form./

"Why?" Kazuya asked, curiously. "Not that I'm saying you shouldn't have saved him or anything," he back-pedaled quickly, realizing how callous he sounded, "and it's always a good idea to help your allies- uh, he _is_ your ally, right?"

Kurama chuckled, the light sound fluttering across the link. /I'm not sure I'd go so far as to classify him as an ally, but at least he's not an active enemy,/ he stated. /However, having his attack sent back at him _again_ would hopefully have taught him a valuable lesson that he clearly needs to learn. Brute strength will not solve every problem, no matter how much force you put behind it./

"Then, why did you step in?" Kazuya asked.

/Because Taro completely forgot about the only non-combatant in the area. You were standing almost directly behind him and would have been caught in the blast./

Kazuya was silent for a moment. "This, uh, rei gun.' It wouldn't have been fatal for him, would it?"

/No,/ Kurama replied, ears pricking up as they passed a dark alley, though his pace did not waver. He dismissed it a few seconds later, recognizing it as an animal rummaging through a trashcan that wasn't properly sealed. They were almost home and he was very much looking forward to sleeping through the night and half of tomorrow as well.

"What about for me? What would a 'rei gun' do to someone without, uh, high spirit-whatever?

/It wouldn't have been fatal for you, either,/ Kurama said. /Although you would have sustained more grievous injuries, that would be due to your age more than anything else. You would have likely ended up with a few broken bones and possibly a concussion, depending on where and how you landed./

"What about you?" Kazuya asked, concern seeping into his tone. "I know you said you were alright, but you took the hit head on, didn't you?"

Kurama blinked, glancing up at him before letting his tongue loll out in a canine grin- and if the expression also allowed him to hide his panting breaths, no one needed to know. /I assure you, I'm fine,/ he repeated. /Taro hasn't had long to develop his reiki, so to me it wasn't that powerful of an attack. I hardly felt it./

Kazuya's pace slowed as his brow furrowed in confusion. "Then, what happened?" he asked after a moment. "Why'd you suddenly collapse?"

/That was from changing to my demon form before I had recovered sufficient energy to sustain it./

"But, you said you were a youko- why would you need, uh, _energy_ to..." He shrugged helplessly, trying to find the right words. "Be in that form, I guess?"

/Demons like myself don't start out as youko,/ Kurama explained. /We begin life as foxes. Once we reach 100 years old, we have generally amassed enough power to become youko. My current levels of youki reflect that of when I was a just a kit. So, while I have the experience and knowledge of how to assume my youko form, I lack the energy to maintain it for an extended period./

Kazuya stopped walking completely. "100 years old?" he repeated, looking down at the fox with a mixture of surprise and disbelief. "And you already..." He trailed off, shaking his head. "Just how old are you, anyway?"

/That's...actually a good question. Let's just say I am far older than you imagine and leave it at that for now./

Kazuya chuckled a bit nervously as he continued down the street. "Right." They walked in silence for a few moments before Kazuya spoke up again. "So, that guy killed several demons?"

/Yes,/ Kurama answered. /It has been on the news several times. His last five murders were within the city limits, although I do not know whether there have been any others in nearby areas./

"The news?" Kazuya repeated, surprised. "You mean he's the serial killer they've been looking for?" He blinked as something occurred to him. "Wait, they announced this on all the local stations!"

Kurama gave him a look. /Where else would they announce it? The demons in question have integrated themselves into ningen society. There isn't an underground network for demon-only news./ Well, not one that this situation fit the criteria for in any case.

Kazuya just shook his head. "Sorry, it's just- I just didn't realize..." He sighed. "I suppose I thought they would have said something about demons being targeted, but I guess that's not very realistic, huh?"

/Most humans are quite comfortable believing demons to be nothing more than creatures of myth and legend,/ Kurama agreed, nodding.

"Yeah," Kazuya sighed wistfully. He had been quite content in that category as well.

/I am sorry,/ Kurama apologized after moment. /I had hoped you would be able to live out your life without finding out about this./

Kazuya shrugged. "What's done is done," he said philosophically. "And, while it is going to be a big adjustment, I think it's actually better this way." He chuckled ruefully. "You know, it's quite a shock to find out I know almost nothing about the man who's been my son for almost twenty years."

/I expect it would be./

"I can't even imagine what it must have been like for Shiori," he continued after a moment. "Did you really say nothing to her until you were almost an adult?"

Kurama sighed. /The life I led before this one lent itself better to making enemies than allies,/ he explained. /For as long as she remained ignorant of my true nature, she had a measure of protection. You've heard the old adage 'three people can keep a secret if two of them are dead.'/

"That may be true, but couldn't you at least tell your own mother?"

/To be honest, I did not plan on staying in human world. My original plan was to leave once I had regained enough energy, which I estimated would be around age ten./

Kazuya looked surprised. "You were going to run away? Just disappear without a trace? That's..." He trailed off, shaking his head. "I can't believe you were going to do that to Shiori," he said, looking down at the fox disapprovingly.

Kurama shrugged. There was no point in arguing about the cruelty of that act from his mother's standpoint. /I had planned out everything very carefully. I had accounted for every last detail, except the one I deemed unimportant: human emotions./

"Human emotions?" Kazuya repeated. "Are you saying demons don't have emotions?"

/To show emotion is to show weakness,/ Kurama explained. /And showing weakness is essentially forfeiting your life in the demon realm, a world where power is everything. Humans generally wear their emotions on their sleeves, so to speak. That, and abysmally low levels of reiki present in most of the population, is why humans are considered weak./

Kazuya's brow darkened. "Sounds like a cheery sort of place," he muttered.

Kurama huffed out a laugh. /It has its appeals,/ he commented lightly.

"So? What happened?" Kazuya prompted.

/When the time came for me to leave, something came up. It delayed my departure, although not for very long. The second time I tried to leave, something else happened that kept me here for just a little while longer. The third time was the same, and the fourth. It was always a minor setback, something that required I stay for a few more days, a few more weeks, a few more months. It was never anything truly urgent and none of it should have actually stopped me from leaving./ Kurama shook his head ruefully. /It was five years before I realized what I was doing. I had become attached. I had subconsciously found a way to delay my inevitable return to the demon world, rationalizing each time until I convinced myself it was necessary to stay for just a little longer. It was mother's illness that forced me to face the truth./

Kazuya nodded thoughtfully. "You realized you loved her," he said. "But why not tell her then?"

Kurama kept his gaze on the ground. /I needed time to make amends./

"For what?"

/Do you know what it's like trying to raise a child who views you as inferior? Who is more capable and self-sufficient than any child could possibly be? One who will obey the rules of the house only so far as they are convenient and can win any argument to the contrary through logic that he could not possibly possess at that age?/ Kurama shook his head again. /I think that I my behavior growing up may have been the cause of mother's illness. At that point, I decided that I would do absolutely anything to make it up to her./

Kazuya was silent, remembering Shiori words from the cafe. _He used an item to heal me, but there was a price: one human life for one human life_. "You became the perfect son that any mother would wish for," he said, quoting something he had overheard from the neighbors.

Kurama inclined his head slightly, but did not reply. It was getting harder to hold his head up and keep his body from sagging with the exhaustion weighing him down. Just because he could sense no threats nearby didn't mean they weren't watching, waiting for an opportune moment to strike.

Kazuya relaxed as they finally turned onto their street, unconsciously quickening his pace. Kurama matched it with some effort, panting noticeably more heavily than the humid night required.

It wasn't too much longer before they reached their house. Kazuya opened the short gate to the small courtyard, letting Kurama enter before closing it behind them. He paused as he got a good look at the fox in the light from the porch, noting the heavy steps and the tails all drooping so low they dragged on the ground behind him. "Shuichi," he called softly.

Kurama stopped, sitting heavily on the front walk as he turned his head to look at his father questioningly.

Kazuya knelt next to the fox, unable to resist the temptation to scratch his head and behind his ear. "You look exhausted."

/I am very tired,/ Kurama agreed, closing his eyes as he leaned into the caress. The fox blinked in surprise as Kazuya suddenly lifted him off the ground, cradling the small body against his chest. /Father...?/

"I assume posing as a pet lets you roam freely, right?" he asked quietly, pushing himself back to his feet. "What's unusual about a pet owner carrying their pet?"

/...nothing, I suppose,/ Kurama said slowly, wondering where his father was going with this.

"Then let's get you off to bed."

Kurama shook his head. /I told Suuichi I was heading home. He and mother will be worried.../

"You're dead on your feet," Kazuya pointed out, reaching the front door. "I'll explain what happened to them while you get some rest, alright?"

That sounded like such a wonderful plan that Kurama actually started purring. Kazuya blinked at him in surprise before chuckling and heading inside. It seemed he had a lot to learn about foxes.

 **. . .**

 **To Be Continued**

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	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Kurama was up and about the following morning as if nothing had happened, although he opted to stay home for the last day of the festival. While the surveillance team that had been camped out on the street all week was gone, there was nothing on any of the local newsfeeds about the serial killer being arrested. This could indicate either the hunter had been caught and the team was no longer necessary, or he had managed to escape and- given how the confrontation had gone down the previous night -Taro didn't think he'd be coming after Kurama again.

If Yuudai had gotten away, it was likely Taro would have been able to track him down later with his name and description. If he had been apprehended and Reikai had decided to step in, then- depending on Taro's report -Kurama was likely due a visit from Botan. If the fox didn't hear anything further about it, then he'd look into Yuudai's location himself in a week or so- once he'd recovered enough youki to comfortably maintain his demon form. He wouldn't make the mistake of trusting Taro to be his back up again.

Life slowly returned to normal in the Hatanaka household as the weekend drew to a close, Suuichi returning home and Kazuya back to work. Though the oddest things still caught him off guard (how had he never noticed the vines hanging in the window _moved_ every time he walked by?), Kazuya was adjusting to his new reality rather well, all things considered. Then again, aside from having a silver fox around the house instead of a redheaded human, not much had changed.

Wednesday afternoon found Kurama dozing lightly on Shiori's lap while she read a book, her free hand idly stroking his ear. The doorbell rang, waking the fox who lifted his head at the unexpected sound. Shiori set her book down as the fox moved from her lap, allowing her to check who was here. Kurama watched her leave, listening as she walked down the hall and opened the door. As far as he knew, she wasn't expecting anyone and Kazuya had left for work about twenty minutes prior. A gentle breeze wafted through the open door, bringing a familiar scent and voice with it.

"Hello!" a bubbly voice greeted. "I was in the area and thought I'd just pop in and say hi to Kurama- I mean, Shuichi," she hastily corrected herself, laughing a bit nervously. "Is he here?"

Shiori hesitated, recognizing her son's demon name but unwilling to let a stranger- and potential threat -in to see the weakened fox. She was about to say he was out when Kurama's voice stopped her.

/It's alright, mother,/ he told her. /I've been expecting a visit from her./

Shiori nodded, stepping back and letting the blue-haired girl dressed in a pale pink kimono come in. "He's in the living room," she said, leading the woman down the hall after she removed her shoes.

/Hello, Botan,/ Kurama greeted as the ferry girl stopped in the doorway, blinking at him in surprise.

"I'll make some tea," Shiori excused herself, leaving the two alone.

Botan finally seemed to recover, her face breaking into a grin. "I have to admit, I wasn't expecting to see you in that form here," she said, moving into the room and sitting in one of the chairs. "And, it looks like your mother took the news well, too! It's about time you told her the truth!"

/It was necessary, given the situation,/ Kurama replied, not bothering to correct either of Botan's assumptions. /Would I be correct in assuming you are here to discuss what happened with the hunter last week?/

Botan's face flashed from joyfully teasing to concerned in a heartbeat. "Yes. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get down here, but things are crazy up in Reikai around obon, as I'm sure you can imagine," she said, shaking her head. "Anyway, when Taro told me what happened, I didn't think it sounded like something you'd do."

/Surely you recall hearing me threaten people before./

"It's not that- I know you can be downright _terrifying_ when the mood takes you," Botan said, waving it aside. "But letting the hunter get away just so Taro has to track him down? That doesn't really sound like you at all."

/Perhaps I was merely helping Taro get more practice./

Botan shook her head again. "You aren't that petty," she pointed out. "So I asked Taro about it and he said that, after blocking his rei gun, you looked like you were about to collapse at any second."

Kurama's tail flicked in irritation, though whether with Taro for noticing his weakness or himself for failing to hide it, the fox couldn't say. Taro thinking it was _his_ attack that had injured him so wasn't even worth considering.

"So, I just wanted to make sure you were really all right," Botan finished, her eyes roaming over him as if searching for any injuries.

/I'm as well as can be expected, given the circumstances,/ Kurama stated, knowing that if she had enough misgivings to come see him in person, she'd be able to find out enough to make lying a pointless venture.

"What circumstances?"

/I died last week,/ Kurama stated calmly. /At least, my human side did./

Botan blinked, not having anticipated that response. "You...what?" she asked. "How?"

/In order to save my mother, the Forlorn Hope only took half of my life, exacting the other half of the price from Yusuke,/ Kurama explained. /Last week, my time ran out./

Botan stared at him for several long seconds. "But Yusuke..."

/Died at Sensui's hand and was resurrected by his demonic heritage as a full-blooded demon,/ Kurama finished.

"Yes, but he went on to fight- and _defeat_ -Sensui immediately afterward!" she exclaimed, waving her arms for emphasis. "Why were you barely able to stand after Taro's rei gun? That doesn't make sense!"

Kurama choose to ignore the insult, reminding himself that such a misconception would work in his favor should he and the detective ever fall on opposing sides. /Regrettably, I did not have a spirit beast storing all my excess power to aid the transition,/ he stated. /Or an ancestral demon lord watching the proceedings and supplementing my transformation with his own power./

Botan was silent for a moment or two while she considered this, absently thanking Shiori when the older woman set a cup of tea in front of her before withdrawing from the room again. "I suppose you're right," she said at last. "Yusuke did have a lot of help."

/Which is fortunate, as the rest of us were no match for Sensui,/ Kurama agreed. /However, we need to discuss the matter of Taro's training, or rather the lack thereof./

Botan blinked. "Don't tell me you're offering to train him yourself?" she asked, surprised.

Kurama snorted. /Nothing so absurd. You need to find him a strong spiritualist or psychic to train under, someone who can teach him about using and _sensing_ energy./

"I'm guessing this has something to do with last week?" she asked, sipping her tea.

Kurama nodded. /Yuudai was able to use his reiki to create a reflective barrier, one that sent any energy attack back at the caster. Taro's first attack should have been enough to keep him from trying it again./ Kurama's tails twitched again. /Instead, he simply poured more energy into the second attack and hoped for the best./

"Why did you step in front of him, anyway?" Botan asked, curiously. "I recall you favoring more of a 'hands on' approach to learning."

/I would have happily let Taro learn his lesson the hard way,/ Kurama agreed, /had my father not been standing right behind him./

"What was he doing there?" Botan asked in surprise.

/I did not know he was there when I led Yuudai to the park,/ Kurama sighed, his eyes falling to the floor. /I was goading Yuudai into following me elsewhere when Taro decided to take matters into his own hands./

"And you had to step in to save them both," Botan finished softly. "Kurama, I'm sure Taro didn't know he was there-"

/Inattention to his surroundings does not excuse endangering the non-combatants in the area, Botan,/ Kurama stated severely, cutting her off as his eyes jumped back up to meet hers. /He needs more than Koenma's 'point, focus and fire' speech in order to do his job. Find someone to train him./

Botan flinched at Kurama's tone, but nodded her agreement. It wasn't an unreasonable demand and, given his human family had almost been hurt, Kurama's reaction was downright mellow. "I'll speak to Koenma-sama about it and start looking for candidates," she promised. "Also, I think we might have found someone to help Taro out for a while- a demon, actually."

Kurama snorted, his gaze losing some of its intensity. /I can imagine how thrilled the detective must be,/ he drawled.

Botan laughed a little hesitantly. "Yes, well, he tackled Yuudai after Taro had lost him, causing enough of a scene for Taro to find and arrest him," she explained. "Instincts like that are very useful in this line of work, so Koenma-sama's going to offer him a job."

/That's good. Taro can use the back up./

Botan nodded, finishing her tea and setting the cup back on the table. "Well, I suppose I should be going- I didn't _really_ have the time to stop by and talk, but I was already in the area, so..." She shrugged, standing a straightening her kimono as she turned to go.

Kurama hopped lightly off the couch, walking her to the door. Botan slid her shoes back on, hesitating with her hand on the handle. "You're...really okay, right?" she asked, her worried gaze falling on the fox at her side.

/Nothing time won't heal,/ Kurama stated, giving her a canine grin. /Though I appreciate your concern./

Botan returned the smile, opening the door and stepping outside. "Right then!" she said, materializing her oar and sitting on it as it hovered in midair. "I've got to get back to work. I'll see you around!"

Kurama watched as she zipped away, shaking his head before pushing the door closed behind her.

 **. . .**

Taro's visit a few days later came as a surprise and an unpleasant one at that. There was no reason Kurama could think of for the detective to be checking up on him. There was the possibility that he was looking to pin some new development on the fox, however Kurama hadn't even left the house since obon- though that was more for his mother's peace of mind than anything else. The thought that Taro was worried for his health was laughable. They didn't part on the best of terms the previous week, which made it equally unlikely that Taro was here to ask for his help. Yet there he was at the front door, posing as an animal control officer and trying to convince Kazuya to hand over the fox.

Kurama snorted at the cover story. A rabid animal had been caught in the neighborhood and they were offering [read: strongly recommending] free vaccinations to everyone with an outdoor pet. As if he would willing go with anyone, much less _Taro_ , who said they wanted to inject him with an unknown substance.

Kazuya didn't seem to recognize the detective, but wasn't about treat his stepson like some common pet. He politely- but firmly -refused, starting to shut the door.

Taro opened his mouth to argue when he caught sight of the fox sitting in the hallway. His jaw clenched, looking very much like he wanted to say something but was unwilling to do so in front of Kazuya.

Although doubting the detective's motives, Kurama appreciated that Taro wasn't willing to involve his human family in their affairs. It also meant Botan was still keeping his secret and Taro had no idea who they really were- or that they thought he was anything other than an unusual fox. /If you wish to talk, meet me in the back alley,/ he told the detective as the door slid shut.

A few moments later, Kurama was perched on the back wall separating their yard from the alleyway. He wasn't entirely convinced Taro was here for anything good and thought it prudent to keep his escape routes open. While being high up made him an easier target, it also meant Taro would have to scale a six-foot fence to follow him into the yard. Furthermore, the backyard was full of anti-intruder flora Kurama had planted himself.

It wasn't long before Taro joined him. Kurama didn't see anyone with him, but he kept a watchful eye on their surroundings all the same. /A rabies vaccination?/ Kurama asked as Taro stopped a few feet away.

"What else was I supposed to say?" Taro shot back. "'Hi, can I talk to your fox alone for a minute?'" He shook his head. "If you ever left the house, I wouldn't have had to resort to this."

Kurama nodded in acknowledgement, not commenting one way or another. /It is highly unusual for you to seek me out,/ he stated instead. /What did you wish to discuss?/

Taro shifted uncomfortably. "Look, could you change into your other form? This is bad enough without you being inside my head. It's unnerving."

/No./

Taro looked surprised at the blatant refusal before it shifted to anger. He opened his mouth, a biting retort on the edge of his tongue before stopping himself, something akin to realization flitting across his face. "Won't or can't?" he asked, his voice losing a bit of its ever-present edge.

/I fail to see how either is relevant to this conversation,/ Kurama stated neutrally, his tails flicking behind him. /Unless you're inviting me to spar, in which case I'll have to decline. Nothing good would come of it./

"Alright," Taro sighed, running a hand through his hair. He took a deep breath, squaring his shoulders before bowing deeply from the waist. "I would like to apologize for my actions last week," he stated, keeping his head low. "I was careless and my own actions ended up endangering you instead. I most humbly ask your forgiveness."

Kurama blinked at the human standing below him. Of all the possible reasons to be called out, a formal apology was not something that would have ever crossed his mind. He surreptitiously checked his surroundings again, but didn't sense any danger or see anyone waiting to take a shot while he was stunned by the declaration. He turned his gaze back to Taro, noting the human was still bowing. /What brought this on?/ he asked at length.

"Botan talked to me," Taro replied, not raising his head. "She...told me what happened last week and...what it did to you."

Kurama's lip curled slightly in a snarl. So, Botan had shared his weakened state and how it had come about. He knew she meant well, but really wished she would just leave well enough alone. /I have heard your apology, if that is all you came to do,/ he stated. /However, if it my is forgiveness you are after, then know you do not have it./

Taro stiffened slightly before straightening up. He keep his eyes on the ground, jaw clenching and unclenching as he debated whether or not to say something. Finally, he nodded sharply and turned to go.

/My actions are my own, whether I choose to step in and save you or not. You are apologizing for the wrong thing,/ Kurama stated, wanting the detective to know exactly why he now had a grudge against him. /Brute force cannot solve every problem- a lesson I was willing to let you learn that night. However, you foolishly put the old man behind you in the line of fire and that is not something I can so easily forgive./

Taro blinked, startled eyes meeting the fox's steady gaze. That was not something he'd ever expected to hear from a demon. He opened and closed his mouth a time or two before accepting the rebuke with a firm nod. "I will do better in the future," he promised, giving the fox another formal bow.

/See that you do. Circumstances may not be so tolerant of your mistake next time, to say nothing of the repercussions./

Taro nodded once more, straightening up and heading back to his car. Although he had initially come to clear his conscience, the fox's admission had given him a lot to think about.

 **. . .**

It was the following week that Kurama awoke to a pleasant surprise. The early morning sun was streaming in through the window as his mind gradually eased into consciousness, slipping seamlessly from dreams to reality. Feeling well rested, he stretched before opening his eyes to check the time. The view of his room seemed off somehow and he blinked, his newly awakened mind taking a few seconds to recognize what was different. His lips curved into a smile as the realization came to him, rising from the bed and moving to the mirror hanging on his wall. Amber eyes stared back at him from a pale face, canine ears poking out from a mop silver hair that was tangled and mused from sleep. His lips twitched into a smirk as the memory of the first time he'd transformed since his original death came to him, the frightened murmurs from the crowd still ringing in his ears. Youko Kurama was back.

The first order of business for the day was a shower, since it'd been a little over two weeks since he'd last bathed. Although it was natural for a fox to go it's whole life with little more than an occasional dip in the river, Kurama had become rather fond of showers and being clean. The feeling of the hot water sliding over his skin and the shampoo in his hair- not to mention the functional hands to work it into a lather -was something he had missed almost more than he realized.

After he was dressed and ready for the day, he headed down to the kitchen. Shiori was looking for something in the cupboard, muttering to herself as she rummaged through the containers on the shelves. Kazuya was sitting at the table, smiling at his wife's verbal abuse of the family's deplorable organizational skills while he read the newspaper. He glanced up when Kurama entered the room, starting in surprise as he got his first good look at his son's youko form in a proper light.

"Good morning, father," Kurama greeted, bowing a bit deeper and more formally than was needed. He knew how intimidating his tall stature could be and was trying to minimize the shock of his appearance.

Shiori blinked at the unexpected voice, turning to the source. Her face cleared in and instant, previous irritation gone as she spotted Kurama. "It looks like you're finally feeling better Shuichi," she said, beaming at him.

Kurama returned the smile as he straightened up, though he was careful not to show too much teeth as his father was still staring at him. "Yes, I am," he agreed. "It is quite refreshing to be able to do things for myself again- such as open doors."

Shiori laughed before moving over to the stove, abandoning the cupboard altogether. "I suppose we won't be needing to install a dog door then?" she asked teasingly.

"Thankfully no. Do you need help with anything?"

"This is about done, if you want to start setting the table?"

Kurama moved about the kitchen getting the plates and bowls out of the cupboard and setting them on the table, ever conscious of his father's eyes on him. He chanced a glance at Kazuya as he set a pair of chopsticks by each plate, a little surprised at the calculating expression his father wore.

"I guess I can see that," Kazuya murmured to himself at last, nodding decisively.

Kurama's brow furrowed slightly, a bit confused by his father's behavior. "See what?" he asked carefully.

Kazuya blinked, as if only just then realizing he'd been staring. "Sorry," he apologized, rubbing the back of his neck a bit self-consciously. "I was just thinking about that night in the park- I couldn't really see what was going on because it was so dark. I know Shiori told me what you looked like when you're...like this," he said, floundering for words as he gestured to the youko, "but I guess in my head I was picturing you with, I don't know, horns and bodybuilder-type muscles or something." He shrugged, a bit embarrassed. "This is...somewhat tame compared to my imagination and I wondered how you could have scared that hunter so badly."

"Is that so?" Kurama asked, chuckling lightly. He and his stepfather had made a lot of headway in the last two weeks and he was relieved this didn't seem like it was going to set them back.

Kazuya nodded. "Then I remembered what you said and the way you had said it..." The sentence trailed off, Kazuya's eyes gazing unseeingly at the table for a few seconds before jerking back up to Kurama's. "Yeah. I can definitely see it."

"Don't let his good looks fool you- Shuichi can be quite terrifying indeed when he feels like it," Shiori commented, winking at the youko while taking a seat next to her husband.

Kurama inclined his head slightly but did not reply, unsure if Shiori's endorsement would help or hinder.

"Yes," Kazuya agreed, picking up his chopsticks. "Although, now I can't help but think I really should have seen this coming."

"Oh?" Kurama asked, wondering what behavior his stepfather had seen that, in retrospect, should have clued him in. "How so?"

"It's always the quiet ones you have to watch out for."

 **. . .**

Later that day, Kurama was sitting at the computer in his room sifting through the numerous orders in his inbox, despite the notice Suuichi had put on his website stating the shop was closed due to a family emergency. Sighing, he glanced over at his phone, noticing the green light that indicated it was done charging. As he hadn't had much use for a phone as a fox, it had been dead for most of the last two weeks. He unplugged it and turned it on, idly wondering if his voicemail was full of irate customers.

It took a moment for the device to start up, surprisingly only displaying one text from Hachiro asking for a meeting. Kurama replied to it and, a few texts later, left the house to meet with the wolf demon.

Traffic was light, allowing Kurama to reach the dilapidated building Hachiro wanted to meet at early. He parked in the shade out front, leaning against the side of the car while he waited. It wasn't long before Hachiro pulled in beside him on a motorcycle, putting down the kickstand and climbing off the bike.

The wolf demon didn't seem surprised to see Kurama in his youko form. "So it is true," he said, skipping the greetings altogether.

Kurama stiffened slightly. He had only been out of contact for two weeks, but rumors tended to spread like wildfire. He needed to know what was being said before he could start on damage control. He cocked his head to the side, adopting a mildly curious look. "What's true?"

"You've lost your human form," Hachiro answered.

Kurama blinked. That was oddly specific and not really all that relevant or even interesting to most demons. "Who told you that?"

"Taro."

Kurama kept his face blank, barely holding back a growl. "Interesting," he commented, his tone mild. "What else did he say?"

Hachiro flinched, having dealt with the youko enough over the years to recognize when he was walking on dangerous ground. "It's not common knowledge," he hastened to assure Kurama, slipping closer and lowering his voice. "He told me about the hunter during obon and what that ferry girl told him."

Kurama's eyes narrowed. While he appreciated Hachiro's trying to keep it quiet even though there was no one but them in the vicinity, Taro was unknowingly treading on very thin ice. "How do you know it's not common knowledge if the detective is apparently telling every demon he sees?"

"Not everyone," Hachiro said, shaking his head. "Just me."

Kurama raised an eyebrow. "When did you become his confidant?"

Hachiro's shoulders sagged. "Since I got put on probation."

Kurama blinked, not having anticipated that response. "Probation?" he questioned.

"Yeah," Hachiro sighed. "I had probably had a little _too_ much to drink at the festival when I saw this guy running down the street as if his life depended on it. My instincts kind of kicked into overdrive and, well..." He shrugged. "Reikai doesn't take too kindly to demons attacking humans without provocation, even though I only tackled the guy. Still, it seems like Taro had been having trouble catching him, so Koenma offered to let me serve my time doing community service instead."

"I suppose you get to be Taro's back-up for any cases he gets from Reikai?" Kurama guessed, shaking his head. He really should have known that's what Botan meant when she said Koenma was going to 'offer him a job.'

"Uh, yeah," Hachiro said, blinking in surprise. "How'd you know?"

"Let's just say I've had dealings with Koenma before."

Hachiro nodded, not quite sure what Kurama meant by that. "Anyway, I told Taro that he shouldn't go around telling people things like that because you're the reason a lot of the demons in this city behave as well as they do. If rumors like that started flying around..." He shook his head, imagining the potential chaos as demons came out of the woodwork to challenge the weakened youko for his territory. "I don't think he has any idea how demon society works."

"Likely not, as it is rather different from how the humans run things," Kurama agreed. "What about your companion? Momo, wasn't it?"

"She was the smart one- split as soon as she saw Taro coming," the wolf demon smiled wryly. "She's probably safely back in the Makai by now."

"I assume this means I'll need to find another supplier?"

"Yeah," Hachiro said, dropping his gaze to the ground. "Koenma made it clear that they'd be watching me to make sure there aren't any more 'mishaps,' so I can't use my usual channels to get through the barrier to Makai." He kicked rock, sending it skittering across the ground. "Which really sucks, 'cuz I had a good thing going here."

Kurama chuckled lightly. "Perhaps you'll get off early for good behavior."

"You really think so?"

With Koenma? Not likely. "You never know," the youko said.

"Anyway, as I'm on probation, I'm not getting paid for this and it's kind of hard to get a job when you might have to leave for who-knows-how-long at any time, especially when you can't just tell your boss why." He paused, biting his lip as he glanced side-long at Kurama. "I was kind of hoping you might have some sort of job for me?"

Kurama didn't reply immediately, leaning back against his car and resting his gaze on the run-down building as he considered his options. He'd never been a big believer in charity cases, but Hachiro had proven himself to be a hard-working employee. And, he never knew when an informant in the detective's inner circle might prove useful. "I might be able to find something for you," he said. "In the meantime, how do you feel about brokering information?"

"I don't really have any contacts for that..."

"I assumed not," Kurama stated, waving his concerns aside. "I only wish you to keep me apprised of any cases Taro gets from Reikai."

"Uh, sure." Hachiro shrugged. "I can do that. But, uh, what about your business?" he asked. "What are you gonna do now that, uh, you know..." He trailed off, gesturing to Kurama's ears.

"What I've always done," Kurama replied, smirking. "Adapt."

 **. . .**

Emiri sighed, adding the paper she'd just finished grading to the finished stack on the left side of her desk before reaching for another from the stack on the right. A polite knock at the door drew her attention and she glanced up.

A tall man was standing in the doorway, holding a vase filled with greenery but no flowers. He was wearing dark slacks with a matching blazer and white shirt, his long sliver hair pulled back into a high ponytail. Although he cut an impressive figure, the feature that stood out the most were the large canine ears crowning his head.

"Are you Hara Emiri-sensei?" he asked in a smooth tenor.

"Yes," she answered, taking off her glasses. "What can I do for you?"

"I have a delivery for you," he stated, entering the classroom and moving closer to the desk.

She raised an eyebrow when she noticed there were several buds sticking out of the arrangement. She'd never been sent flowers before, but she was fairly certain the blossoms were supposed to have already bloomed.

Kurama smiled at her expression. "I know it doesn't look like much now, but stories generally have humble beginnings," he explained, running his fingers over the leaves. "This one in particular began with a crush, back when you were still attending school," he continued, his fingertip resting lightly on one of the buds. Emiri blinked in surprise, eyes wide as the gardenia opened at his touch, its petals spreading wide.

"Though your circle of friends did not interact, he watched you from afar and grew to respect you as a person, admiring your strength of character and convictions," Kurama continued, touching the daffodil and making it bloom as well. He paused, looking over the arrangement as if uncertain. When Emiri looked up at him, he gave her an apologetic smile. "The center of the bouquet seems to be missing- oh!" He blinked, as if noticing something right behind her. "May I?" he asked, gesturing toward her.

Emiri nodded hesitantly, her eyes following his hand as it reached past her cheek. She gasped as he drew a red rose in full bloom from behind her head, its fragrance strong enough she could smell it as it passed her face.

"My most sincere apologies," he said, sliding the rose into the vase. The red petals gave a nice contrast to the white flowers around it. "Though his feelings toward you have grown into love, he's too shy to come right out and say it. However, since he knows you enjoy solving mysteries so much, he's put together several clues for you to figure out his identity." Here he touched the last bud, the white camellia unfurling to reveal a slip of pink paper curled between its petals. "Should you choose to accept, he'll be waiting for you at its end."

Emiri just stared, a wondering smile pulling at the corners of her lips as her eyes darted from the bouquet to Kurama and back again. "How on earth did you do that?" she asked.

"I'm afraid that's a trade secret," Kurama said, putting one finger to his lips as he winked at her.

She laughed, accepting the flowers. "That was amazing," she said, carefully pulling the paper out from between the petals. It had the first clue written on it. "That's..." She shook her head. "Wow. Are you a magician on the side or something? Do you do parties?"

Kurama chuckled. "I'm afraid this is my only occupation," he said, pulling out a small notebook. "Would you mind signing here?"

Emiri did so, glancing up at him when she saw the header at the top. "Youko Creations, huh? I suppose that explains the ears."

Kurama's smile widened into a grin. "Our proprietor does have a sense of humor," he stated, accepting the notebook back and tucking it into his pocket. He held out his hand as if to shake. When she slid hers into his, he turned it over and placed a gentle kiss on her knuckles. "Happy hunting."

She laughed again, watching as the tall silver-haired man exited the classroom. She blinked at the tail she'd not noticed earlier before shrugging and turning her attention to the clue. Whoever had sent the flowers certainly seemed to know her well and the rest of the papers could wait until she found out who it was.

 **. . .**

 **The End**

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